Speak!
by FairyLights101
Summary: Eren doesn't exactly have the best home life, far from it in fact. A chance meeting with Levi, a mysterious young man who keeps his secrets close, is the one person who could take his world to a whole new level of chaos and wonder. Bonds are forged and feelings change, but will they be strong enough to face the challenges that lie in their future and the secrets in their pasts?
1. Silence

**Speak!  
Chapter 1: Silence**

**Warning: This story, and this chapter, may and do contain themes of violence/abuse, sexual themes, and drug/alcohol abuse. You have been warned.**

* * *

Eren trudged up the driveway to his house, moving slowly in the afternoon heat of the summer. The sun had already begun to set outside, dipping behind the westward horizon. The day was beautiful, with only a few small white clouds in the distance and a nice, consistent breeze blowing. Despite that all of the windows in his house had the curtains drawn across them, no lights emanating from behind the heavy curtains.

It looked unwelcoming despite its grand size and overall peaceful look, most of which was due to his father's position as head of the Shiganshina hospital and the work of the lawn and house service that kept their home looking nice respectively. He could remember when it had been welcoming, a place of joy and love. It had been a long time since he had felt either of those things within the walls of that house. Hatred was woven in every fiber, even the foundations, of the house.

Eren pulled his key ring from his pockets, twirling it around on his forefinger as he walked along the path through the neatly groomed array of rosebushes that had been planted on either side of the walkway leading up to the house. He moved up the stone stairs, only the wind making a sound as it rushed the limbs of the leaf-laden trees. Eren stopped in front of the door and stared at the white wood for a few moments before he stopped twirling the keys and inserted the key into the lock, turning it gently so that it wouldn't make too much noise.

Cool air rushed out and Eren slipped in and shut the door before any more could escape, allowing the blissfully cool air from within to envelope him. The house was silent except for the soft snores that reverberated through the silence. Green eyes darted around in the near-total darkness, only the glow of his phone and the light concealed behind the heavy curtains hanging in front of the windows illuminating his way as he shut the door behind him, only letting the knob ease back into place when the door was completely shut.

He turned around and held the light towards the ground, making his way to the steps, each step quiet and precise. Eren set his foot on the first step. The first three steps were the safe zones and could be stepped on at any spot without danger of creaking. The fourth however was a death trap in waiting, with the entirety of it prone to screeching out at the most inopportune of times, or in general really. It was better to skip the fourth step entirely rather than risk finding a place to bear his weight without a sound.

He eased his way up the familiar path with care, growing more confident with every step that carried him closer to the top of the staircase. By the sixth step he was feeling confident, too confident. His foot eased onto the board of the seventh step and it groaned beneath his foot.

The sound was light but it still brought his heart lurching to a halt. His heart hammered away in his chest, deafening him and threatening to beat its way from the confines of his ribcage. The bitter taste of fear tainted his mouth and it grew dry, making it nearly impossible to swallow. The snores emanating from a few feet away failed to falter. _Note to self: be wary of the seventh step from now on._

He pulled his foot away and edged it further along till he found a spot that could bear his weight before he ascended to the eighth and final step. He reached the top of the staircase and spared a second to glance to his right.

The living room was dark except for the flickering glow of the muted television and of the light that seeped through the heavy curtains in any cracks available. He could see his father sprawled out in one of the brown armchairs, a half-empty beer bottle clutched in one hand, three or four more either lying on their sides or sitting upright next to the chair. His father shifted slightly and another snore passed through his slack jaws. Eren grimaced as he gazed at the prone figure of his father, trying to beat back the familiar flood of guilt and sadness that threatened to overwhelm.

He stared for a few moments more before he jerked his head away, tearing his eyes from the prone figure of his father and casting them towards the dark hallway to his left. Eren walked stealthily down the hallway, each step delicate and soft. One hand groped at the air blindly, attempting to keep him from slamming into anything that might be littering the hallway, while the other raked along the wall. He passed the first two doors on his right before entering the third.

Eren eased the door shut and threw himself onto his bed face-first with a huff. He let his eyes slip shut, his breaths evening out and calming down now that he was in the safety of his room. His ass began to vibrate, or to be more precise, the cellphone tucked in his pocket was vibrating incessantly, demanding immediate attention. Eren pulled the phone from his pocket and slid it open. He opened the message, his eyes scanning the contents.

**From: Armin Arlert:  
Did you make it home alright? BTW Grandpa is asking if you want to come over for dinner tomorrow night. We're making curry!  
Received: 8:45 July 15****th****, 2013**

A smile tugged at the corners of Eren's lips and he began to type out a response, his fingers flying across the keyboard. The muted click as each button depressed filled the silence in his room till he finished the message and read over his message one last time before sending it.

**To: Armin Arlert:  
Of course Armin… what, did you think I was trapped in the back of some filthy alleyway surrounded by a bunch of strangers? Honestly, have a little more faith in me -_- I'd love to come to dinner but I'd have to ask my father first. I'll ask him in the morning when he wakes up.  
Sent: 8:48 July 15****th****, 2013**

He tapped the Send button and set the phone back down on his bed. Eren rolled over onto his back so he could stare at the ceiling, whitewashed with a single light hanging over his head. Ever since he had peeled the glow-in-the-dark stickers of the stars and planets from his ceiling it had seemed so much duller, even after eight or so years. It looked so blank and dull nowadays. His phone began to vibrate again and Eren twisted his arm behind his head, scrabbling for the phone for a few moments before he found it.

**From: Armin Arlert:  
No, but you do have a habit of wandering off and doing other stupid things :P I hope your dad is cool with you coming~~  
Received 8:51 July 15****th****, 2013**

**To: Armin Arlert:  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I do… But that's only because wandering around is so fun sometimes! Yeah, I hope he does too.  
Sent: 8:55 July 15****th****, 2013**

**From: Armin Arlert:  
Only you… crazy child. Oh my god, have you heard that song by Lana Del Ray? It's called 'Summertime Sadness' and it is sooooo good! You must listen, pronto!  
Received: 9:00 July 15****th****, 2013**

**To: Armin Arlert:  
Of course I'm crazy, crazy is the best XD no, I haven't heard of that song. Or of Del Ray for that matter… Don't even act surprised about it. I'll listen in a few minutes. I don't really feel like moving; the bed is too damn comfy.  
Sent: 9:04 July 15****th****, 2013**

**From: Armin Arlert:  
As long as you are crazy in moderation, it is the best~ Eren… you poor, poor child… do you just not watch TV/listen to the radio or what? Nuu, you need to listen now that way you can understand another thing about culture! You are so behind on the times sometimes that it's unbelievable…  
Received: 9:09 July 15****th****, 2013**

**To: Armin Arlert:  
Of course I don't watch TV… the crap shows that are being aired lately . Nat Geo and Animal Planet are still okay though for the most part… Sides, I like the music I've got! 3 Doors Down isn't behind the times! You injure me with your judgment T.T  
Received: 9:13 July 15****th****, 2013**

**From: Armin Arlert:  
Eren sometimes I honestly wonder how you've gotten this far in life with the limited cultural knowledge that you have. Hopefully we won't have another repeat like the time where you asked who Sylvester Stallone was. That was embarrassing XD 3 Doors Down is good but you probably don't even know who Of Monsters and Men are. How about Fallout Boys, have you heard of them? It's thanks to Mikasa and Jean that you've even heard of MCR or Sleeping with Sirens! Silly Eren just accept that you need cultural conditioning!  
Received: 9:16 July 15****th****, 2013**

**To: Armin Arlert:  
I've gotten by through various means that I shall not reveal~ Most of which involve the use of black magic and Satanic rituals XD Hey, it's not my fault I never watched any of the Rocky movies -_- …. I'm going to refrain from answering those last two questions. It would probably be for the best because that would give you yet another thing to tease me about DX  
Sent: 9:20 July 15****th****, 2013**

**From: Armin Arlert:  
Haha, I knew it! God, I knew it was a good idea to show you Supernatural ^u^ At least not until you fessed up about your lack of cultural knowledge~ which still needs some ramping up btw. You're damn right about that! Haha, but you always know I'm kidding…. most of the time. X3  
Received: 9:24 July 15****th****, 2013**

**To: Armin Arlert:  
That was probably the worst mistake of my life. I've practically sold my soul to the Eric Kripke to be honest… No, no, no! No more 48 hour marathons! The last one was killer… and not just because we were watching the Halloween movies either.  
Sent: 9:28 July 16****th****, 2013**

Eren smiled at his friend's energy and sat up, his fingers tapping away at the keyboard. Armin was always so insistent about Eren becoming more 'culturally aware,' as the blonde put it. The blonde said it was regretful how Eren had a dislike for the social media nowadays but he had learned by now to just slowly wear Eren down, constantly badgering him about whatever he wanted him to watch or listen to until he finally wore down Eren's reluctance. Eren spun the phone between his forefinger and thumb, staring absently at the door. The house was quiet… too quiet.

Something slammed into his door and Eren flinched. His phone slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor, facedown. The doorknob jerked violently to the side and the door was flung open, crashing into the desk behind it. His father stood in the doorway, haloed by darkness from behind, lit from the light in Eren's room in the front. Grisha Jäeger swayed on his feet slightly, his eyes slowly focusing on his son. "What are you looking at you freak?"

The words cut through the silence like knives, shattering the peace that had been too good to last. Eren scrabbled backwards on his bed and pressed himself against the headboard and wall, his thoughts hazed with fear._ Stupid! Nowhere to go now!_ His father closed the distance within three long, furious strides, his feet slamming into the wooden floor, each thump causing Eren to flinch again.

His father stooped down and gripped the front of Eren's shirt, pulling the brown haired boy close. The stench of liquor washed over Eren's face as his father spoke, but he was paralyzed, his wide emerald eyes frozen on his father's cruel brown ones. "What, don't you wanna say something you shitty little faggot?" his father snarled, his voice sadistic and furious. Eren's mouth stayed firmly shut. There was no point in opening it, there never had been.

Grisha's lips pulled back, baring his gleaming white teeth. Out of his peripheral Eren saw his father's fist move back. His own hands shot up, moving to cover his face and head the best they could. His father's fist slammed into his side, smashing into his ribs and forcing a cry of pain from Eren's throat. It burned as it came out, almost as painful as the blow. His father let go of the collar of his shirt in favor of boxing his ear with it, the heavy hand merciless when it fell.

The blow sent Eren's head ringing and he tried to push himself backwards on the bed, holding back the pained noises that fought to be freed from his aching throat. His father caught his ankle with a bone-crushing grip and brought his other hand up. Eren brought his own hands up to his head and twisted it away. The raised fist smashed into his abdomen and Eren reflexively curled inwards, all the breath forced from his lungs. Eren gasped for air, too breathless to cry out in pain. His father let go of his ankle and brought one of his fists down on Eren's head, partly on his hand, partly on his ear and the skull behind it. A whimper of pain passed Eren's lips, using what little of the air he had managed to recover.

His father jerked him backwards off of his bed and Eren crashed onto the floor, landing on the lower portion of his back. Eren let out a strangled gasp his father slammed his knee down onto his sternum and leaned close, the stench of alcohol on his breath becoming overpowering. His fingers gripped Eren's arms, digging into the flesh like he was trying to tear it away from Eren's bones. "You want more you little freak?" The words were snarled into Eren's ear, low and menacing.

Eren's eyes flared open and he whipped his head from side to side, terror in his eyes. "No…" The word was like acid coming out of his mouth, burning its way up his throat and rolling off of his tongue. It sent his already tight throat even tighter, the searing sensation spreading throughout his throat with every panicked breath he tried to suck in as it grated on his agitated throat.

His father snorted, not unlike an angry bull, and he pulled back. The pressure of his knee remained on Eren's chest, crushing his lungs down and making it harder to breath than it already was. They stared at each other for a moment, dark brown eyes filled with fury meeting emerald green eyes filled with terror. Grisha's left hand shot out and grabbed Eren by the chin and throat. Fingers dug into Eren's windpipe and chin with bruising force, preventing him from turning his head. Grisha cocked his fist back behind his ear, a sneer on his face.

It stayed there for a minute and Eren's world narrowed down to a single thing; the fist that hung suspended in the air beside his father's head. The first blurred as it flew through the air towards Eren's face. Blood exploded in his mouth, washing over his tongue and flying from his lips. His cheek was numb for a few seconds before the pain registered in his head, sending dark spots dancing across his vision and his head spinning. He dimly noticed the pressure leaving his chest, the final kick that slammed into his ribs and sent him sprawling a few feet away, the cheek that his father had punched pressed into the cool wooden floor.

"Fucking pathetic," his father muttered, "You're useless, nothing but a dead weight." Eren watched his father's feet turn and walk away. His father slammed the door shut after he walked out, leaving Eren in silence. Eren stared at the door, his eyes glazed over and a thin trickle of blood leaking from his mouth, collecting on the floor beneath his head. His cheeks grew wet.

He didn't need to raise a hand to his face to know that the tears of pain he had been holding back finally freed themselves. It would have been surprising if he could have even moved his arms to be honest. His chest rose and fell in slow, pained movements as he drew the precious oxygen into his aching chest and lungs. This time was hardly the worst compared to some other occasions but it was relatively far up on the scale. Eren let his eyes slip shut, embracing the darkness of unconsciousness.

* * *

The wooden floor was hard and unforgiving beneath Eren. His neck ached from being at such an awkward angle and his face felt disgusting, crusted with dried blood and tear tracks. Arms trembling with pain and exertion pushed him upright, the spots that had been hit burning in protest. Eren slowly pulled his leg up beneath him and crouched on the floor, his forehead pressed against the floor.

The wooden floorboards beneath his face were speckled with droplets of dried blood. _I'll have to get that up later…_ Eren pulled his foot beneath his and pushed himself up till he was standing. The house was quiet once more; either his father had drunken himself into a stupor again or he had left the house for a few hours. _I need to get out… I need to get some air._

Eren eased himself out of his door and into the bathroom across the hall, shutting the door before he turned the light on. He pulled a washcloth from the basket on the counter and twisted the tap till warm water flowed. Once it had been sufficiently wet and wrung out Eren began to dab at his face, wiping away the blood that stained his lips and part of his jaw.

One of his hands wandered up to his cheek, the one his father had hit. His fingers skimmed over the bone and swollen flesh. The skin had already started bruising, currently a shade of light blue and purple that would certainly darken within the next twelve hours. Thankfully it was the summer, that way he wouldn't have people questioning him every few minutes about the massive bruise that would certainly cover his cheek.

An excuse would be required for Mikasa and Armin but that wasn't unusual. Eren hated lying to them, he truly did, but there was no way around it. They couldn't help him from this, they couldn't free him. Maybe he could say that he'd fallen down some stairs._ It's amazing they haven't wrapped me with bubble wrap to be quite honest. They probably think I'm clumsy enough to break a bone just by sitting. That or they think I can't walk without tripping over something._ Armin might have his suspicions about the reality behind the bruises and the lies but the blonde wouldn't call on his bluff.

Eren finished dabbing at his cheek and dropped the washcloth into the sink, flicking the lights out before he left to ease himself into his bedroom, keeping the crack between the door and doorframe as small as possible as he slipped inside. Once inside he tugged his old shirt off and pulled on a new one. He grabbed his keys from the table beside the bed and his phone from the floor, taking a moment to look at the clock; 11:15. The house retained its silence and darkness as he slunk silently through the house, down the steps, and out the door.

Outside the world had long since gone dark, the stars gleaming against the inky backdrop, the moon little more than a silvery scratch in the sky. Eren stayed on the front porch for a few moments before his legs began to move, taking him through the streets. They carried him across gray pavement and black asphalt, beneath puddles of orange or white light cast by the various street lights and beneath trees that occasionally grew up near the sidewalk. The wind from earlier was still blowing, pushing the still hot summer air away and replacing it with cooler air, sending leaves and branches rustling as it went.

Few people roamed the streets at such a late hour, whether they were on foot or in cars. No one approached him and he approached no one, keeping to his path and not deviating. His feet slowed and then stopped and Eren looked at where his feet had carried him. He stood in front of Shiganshina Park, just in front of the opening between the stone brick walls. The concrete path changed to one of cobbled stone that would wind its way through the park.

Eren stepped within the walls of the park and began to walk aimlessly, no destination in mind. It was only when he saw the swing sets in the white light cast from the light pole near them that he realized just where his feet had taken him. _Higher Mommy, higher!_ Eren bit his lip as the voice wafted up through years of memories covered in cobwebs, unwanted and unwelcome within his mind.

He shook his head and walked towards the swings, still painted the same reds and blues that they had been when he was a child. The paint was fresher, the seats of the swings were newer, as were the chains, but otherwise it was still the same. It was still a relic of the past, only it had been touched up, altered, but at least it was still recognizable.

Eren sat down at the one closest to him, the one at the very end of the row. His feet settled into ruts, larger and more worn than he remembered but still there nevertheless. Fingers clutched the cool chains at shoulder level and he leaned his head against one of the chains. Eren sighed and stared at the ground, watching his feet push him backwards and disappear beneath him as his toes dragged at the ground, stirring up little puffs of dirt. "You do realize that it's dangerous to be out in a park alone at night, right?"

Eren's head snapped up, his eyes flaring wide open and his body going rigid. A man stood a few feet away, the white light of the light post revealing his features. He didn't seem to look much older than Eren, although his face was thin and pale, framed by black hair that appeared to be shaved on the lower half of his head.

Gray eyes peered at him, lines beneath them telling stories of many nights filled with little sleep. He was wearing a gray shirt that went several inches past his hips, overlapping with the black jeans he was beating. Black combat boots showing signs of wear but good care poked out from beneath the bottoms of his jeans. Long and slim fingers clutched a camera gently but firmly, cradling the black camera almost lovingly. The strap was twisted around his wrist and his right forefinger was on top of the camera, although the lens was facing towards the ground.

The man was short, probably around five feet, and slighter in frame than most men, but there was an intensity in his eyes and his shoulders that screamed "Mess with me, I dare you!" He was, for lack of better terms, _beautiful_.

"Hey… are you awake in there?" Eren blinked and tore his eyes away, staring past the man and into the dark trees beyond him instead. He nodded in agreement to both questions. "Okay… I'm guessing you don't like to talk. Good, conversation is dull. Mind if I sit there?" He gestured to the seat next to Eren with the hand that didn't have the neck strap wrapped around it. Eren shook his head and the man sat down on the red plastic seat.

Eren watched from the corner of his eyes as the man turned something on the top of the camera with his thumb. The screen on the camera flickered to life, replacing the blank black surface with a muted blue-white glow. The man's thumb moved over to the right of the screen, where an array of buttons and a control pad lay. His thumb moved around, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but either way it hid the pictures from Eren for the most part.

He occasionally caught glimpses red-orange sunsets, pristine white beaches with cerulean waters, and tall trees adorned with leaves in their fall colors. "Are you going to sit there and stare creepily over my shoulder or are you actually going to look?" Eren looked up, startled, and stared at the man's face. The other man's gray eyes roamed inquisitively over his own face, yet they stayed neutral. "Well?" Eren jerked his head in an awkward nod and a small smirk tugged the corners of the man's mouth upwards as he tilted the camera towards Eren.

The first picture was that of a lighthouse on a rocky, moss and grass covered cliff, its base made of burgundy bricks that changed to alternating black and white strips before it reached the top, which was set against darkening purple sky already scattered with stars. The sun was setting beneath the waters in the distance, turning the water into a rippling surface of gold, orange, and red, matching the sky that it met.

The picture changed, this time to a field of golden heather bent at varying angles from a gentle wind, the blue sky above and beyond dotted with small, fluffy white clouds. A black and white head poked up through the tall golden stalks, a cow that had been staring in the general direction of the camera when the picture was taken.

It changed again, this time to a small pond. The bottom was covered with sand and small, colorful rocks and pebbles. Ripples dotted the surface, distorting some parts while others remained clear. Lilly pads were scattered about, their blossoms in varying stages of being open. One even had a frog perched on top of it. Fish had been captured darting beneath the water, their silvery scaling glimmering like rainbows as sunlight danced off their scales.

They sat there for a while, Eren staring at the images, completely and totally enraptured, the man holding the camera, a small smile visible on his face whenever Eren glanced up. The picture of the lighthouse reappeared all too soon, leaving Eren with a crippling sense of disappointment and longing. _I want to see those things… not that I ever will._

"So…" the man said, interrupting his thoughts. "What did you think?" _Oh… fuck._ Eren raised a finger and the man's eyebrows scrunched together as he watched Eren reached into his pocket and pull his phone out. His fingers flew across the keyboard, frantically typing out a message for the man to read, something that he could form easier than words. Eren raised it up, screen facing the man, when he was done.

**Those pictures were amazing! Did you take them all yourself?**

The man glanced up at Eren's face, a questioning look on his face. "Yeah… I usually travel around a lot over the holidays and breaks. I decided to stay here this year and take some pictures of home." He looked away and wrinkled his note at the mention of 'home,' as if the word disagreed with him somehow. "Do you live here or are you visiting someone?"

**I've always lived here. What about you?**

The man shook his head, although it seemed to be in an irritated or mirthless manner rather than one that of not wanting to speak. "I moved here in the summer of last year, right before the school year. My father let me be homeschooled for the year but he's demanding I go to school this year, probably because that bastard doesn't want to keep paying the teacher he'd hired. I'll be a senior at Shiganshina High… what about you?"

**That's where I'm going! I'll be a sophomore this year.**

_Well, I was right about him being around my age at least. He seems honest enough to not be lying about it…_ "Tell me, how's the school? If it's some shitty dump of a school I'm packing my bags… _again_." The man fidgeted with the strap on his camera, his eyes boring into Eren's. "What's your name kid?"

**No, the school is nice. Some of the teachers suck but that's about the extent of it all. I'm Eren Jäeger, not 'kid'. What about you?"**

"I'll have to take your word on that for now I suppose…" the man muttered. "I'll be the judge of that when I actually get in there though. Hell, it'll be better than the last place probably." The man pushed himself backwards before rocking forwards, the momentum carrying him back and forth for a few moments. "So Eren… what's an idiot like you doing out so late?"

**I'm not an idiot -_- I just wanted to get out of the house for a while and get some fresh air.**

It was the truth, part of it anyways. All that had been left out was the mention of a hostile home environment, a drunkard of a father, the most recent beating, and the desperate need to get out of the house, not just a want. "That, I can understand," the man said, nodding his head absently in agreement, looking down at the ground between his feet.

He looked back up at Eren, gray eyes blazing. He tapped his cheek. "Where'd you get that bruise? The one on the left side of your face I mean." Eren unconsciously flinched at the mention of it and his fingers, which had been so eager to type the next message, didn't want to cooperate, not that he wanted them to. A grimace crossed the face of the raven haired man. "Sorry, that was probably not a question I should be asking." Eren shook his head softly but began to type anyways before he showed it to the man.

**I got into a fight with an acquaintance. He punched me in the face.**

The man pulled back and shook his head, his shoulders shaking slightly with silent laughter and a hand concealing the smile that Eren knew would be there. "Idiot… do you not know to keep your damn hands up? Don't answer that." He turned his head and looked at Eren, studying him a moment. "So… can you tell me why you're typing and not talking?" Eren bit his lip but started a new line on the notepad app, hesitating a moment before he began to type again. He showed the man again, watched as the gray eyes scanned the newest message.

**I can't speak. I was born with severely underdeveloped vocal chords. Speech is very hard and extraordinarily painful.**

"Ah… I'm sorry." Eren shrugged in response as if to say 'it doesn't matter,' and retracted his arm. Silence wrapped itself around them, only the creak of the chains, the rustle of leaves, and the sounds of wild nightlife filling the air. Eren opened his phone at glanced at the time; 1:04. _Well fuck… I definitely didn't mean to stay out so late._ A creaking sound came from his left, that of chains. Eren glanced over and watched the gray eyed man stand, camera pointed at the ground once more.

"Well fuck… And I said I was going to take some photographs." he muttered, staring off into the trees. He turned and looked at Eren, a questioning look in his eyes. "May I see your cell" Eren cocked his head at the question but extracted the phone from his pocket and held it out anyways. The raven haired man took it with one hand and let the camera strap slip down to his elbow so that he could type. Eren watched as his fingers moved across the phone, slid it open, danced gracefully across the keyboard, and slid it shut again. He handed the phone back to Eren, the screen dark.

"One more thing…" he gestured to his camera. "Do you mind if I take one of you?" Eren shook his head, a go ahead. A small smile flickered up onto the man's pale face and he raised the camera to his silvery eyes. Fingers twisted the lens back and forth with delicate and precise movements, adjusting it till it was perfect. Eren stared at the camera, a small and bemused smile on his lips as he watched the nameless man work. _Oh… I never did get his name_.

A flash of light startled him out of his thoughts and Eren looked at the man who lowered the camera from his face. "Sorry, the flash has to be a little stronger because of the lack of light." He took a few steps towards Eren and held out his hand. "Well Eren… it was nice to meet you." Eren took the offered hand and nodded, grasping the pale hand delicately, as if it was made of fine china.

It was only when the man had disappeared into the darkness beyond the light that Eren looked at his phone. It was open to the contacts tab and was centered at the L's. There was a new name there, one he didn't know; **Levi Rivaille – XXX-XXX-XXXX**.

**Chapter 1: End**

* * *

So yeah... this is the first chapter of _Speak!_ I hope you guys enjoyed it~ First off I'll have to thank calleyrose, a good and new friend of mine who helped bring this idea both back to life and to make it grow so much more than I thought it would. It went from an idea that was lurking in the back of my mind to something similar that she just randomly brought up one day and from there... well, this was finally born. I shall be writing both this and _END GAME _at once; a new chapter for _END GAME _should also be up within a day or two.  
Secondly I'm not homophobic and I hate things associated with it so I'm kind of dying inside whenever I write Grisha... Thirdly, I don't condone abuse/rape/drug/alcohol usage. But it must be done.

But thank you darlings for reading this story and I hope you continue to enjoy _Speak!  
_**Ha! I didn't forget the warning this time!**


	2. Music

**Speak!  
Chapter 2: Music**

**Warning: This chapter contains themes of abuse and drug/alcohol abuse. (I forgot it again, sorry)**

* * *

**To Armin Arlert:  
Sorry I can't make it today. Will Friday be fine?  
Sent: 7:42 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Of course! Don't worry about it~ what's up?  
Received: 9:23 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Thanks for understanding :) Not much. Was playing my violin  
Sent: 9:30 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
No problem~ ah I'm sorry! Go back to your practice if you want to I won't mind!  
Received: 9:33 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Nah, it's alright. I was almost done anyways. What's up over there?  
Sent: 9:37 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Not much. Mikasa gramps and I are playing some poker. Kicking some ass right now! ^^  
Received: 9:41 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Remind me to never play poker with you…  
Sent: 9:44 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Hahahaha, don't worry I'd probably go easy on yah! :D  
Received: 9:49 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Sure you would sure you would…. I gotta go now, text ya later!  
Sent: 9:53 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Haha just never agree to play poker with me when stripping or money is involved and you'll be fine! Alright~ Have fun & make good choices!  
Received: 9:57 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Note made. Good choices? Who needs good choices? XD  
Sent: 10:01 AM, July 16****th****, 2013**

* * *

"Eren," Armin sang out as he flung his door open, bright blue eyes wide with excitement. They widened further when they saw the large bruise dappling his cheek. It had faded in the four days that had passed since Monday night, going from an array of dark blues and purples to a mixture of yellows with a bit of blue and purple coloration still remaining in the center of the bruise. "Eren, what did you do this time? And when?"

_"Monday night,"_ Eren signed to Armin, a sheepish smile on his face. His hands moved on, telling the lie he had thought up days before, the same morning that he had met Levi. _"I went to open a door but I was listening to someone and it opened and hit me in the face."_ A poor lie but nevertheless it was one that Armin would have trouble arguing about. Eren rubbed the back of his head and grinned at Armin, a silent chuckle shaking his shoulders.

Armin shook his head and gently smacked Eren in the center of the forehead. "Moron… Well, at least you're alright now. Come on in!" Eren chuckled and followed Armin into his house, shutting the door with a soft click once he stepped in from the hot afternoon air outside. The interior of the house was blissfully cool, turning the sweat that had accumulated on Eren's back into ice as it wrapped around him. The delicious scent of herbs and baking chicken filled the house. "Gramps says it'll be done in a couple of hours," Armin said, grinning when he noticed Eren sniffing the air.

The blue eyed boy waited as Eren pulled his sneakers off his feet, leaving them by the coatrack. He ascended the steps just behind Armin, their sock-covered feet pressed into the plush green carpet that covered the dark wooden stairs. The beige wall to his right was adorned with an array of pictures set into dark brown frames of varying sizes.

One held a couple well into their years, their smiles bright and genuine as they clutched each other by the waist. The man had a brown beard and mustache, with bushy brown hair streaked with gray that collected at the nape of his neck and brown eyes filled with joy. The woman was smaller than the man, almost sickly in appearance, her graying blonde hair pulled back into a loose bun with numerous strands escaping. Her bright blue eyes mirrored the man's emotions. Armin's grandparents looked so happy in that picture despite the bitter end they knew was coming.

Another held a woman who looked almost like a photocopy of the older woman. Her hair fell down to her waist in golden waves and her blue eyes glittered mischievously. It was one of the few pictures of Armin's mother on display within the house. No pictures of his father were in the house; there hadn't been time to take one considering the circumstances.

Pictures of Armin and Mikasa from all ages were the ones that appeared the most, from the time they were both children till the current day. Armin's grandfather was sprinkled about here and there, appearing in pictures with one child or both, rarely on his own in any of them. Most of the time he was the one doing the picture-taking.

They reached the second floor and turned to the left, the side where Armin's room was. The walls of the room might have been painted white but only thin little strips of white were visible between the posters from _National _Geographic, images of far-away places, and various posters of books and movies tacked up on the walls. The navy colored covers on his bed were crinkled up in places; Armin must have been sitting there till moments ago. His computer was on, the screen displaying a YouTube page pulled up to "The Perfect Mistake" by Cartel.

Mikasa was already seated on the floor when they entered, her eyes locked on the screen of a black 3DS, her fingers pounding away at the buttons. She was probably playing _Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition_, a game that Eren had gotten her as a late birthday present-esque gift. She must have pressed pause or finished the fight because she looked up at them as they walked into Armin's bedroom, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards slightly when she saw him, "Hi Eren."

He watched her eyes flicker over his face and she raised an eyebrow questioningly as she tapped her cheek. "A door hit him," Armin said with an amused shake of his head. "Eren, we really should wrap you in bubble wrap and stick you in a padded room. That might, just might, prevent you from doing yourself in on accident."

Eren stuck his tongue out at Armin and sat down on the floor to the left of Mikasa while Armin sat directly across from him. Each of them was angled so that they could see the other two equally, something that they had perfected over the years. Eren tapped Armin on the wrist and the blonde boy looked up at him. _"So I met this guy the other day at the park…"_

Eren signed slowly, watching his friend's face. A massive grin spread across Armin's face and he leaned closer, baby blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "Oh, was he cute? Tell me everything!" His voice brought Mikasa's head up from the game and she looked back and forth between the two. She stared at both of them and cocked her head to the side, a questioning look in her eyes once more.

She looked back at Eren and raised an eyebrow."Who is cute?" Armin turned to Mikasa and smirked, flashing bright white teeth at the black haired girl. "Eren met some new guy at the park." He turned back to Eren and leaned forwards, his elbow on his knee and his chin on the palm of his hand, fingers curled up around his chin. "So, tell us more!"

Eren's face flushed from the intensity of both of their stares, but he started to sign anyways, telling them the gist of it. _"I went to the park late Monday night. Some guy showed up and he showed me some pictures. We talked for a while afterwards. He gave me his number."_ His face was edging towards the color of red bricks by the time he was finished. _"Yeah, he was cute. Scratch that, he was hot."_ Armin let out a happy shriek and flung his arms around Eren's head, tackling him to the floor.

Mikasa had to help pry the squealing blonde away from Eren before they could carry the conversation any further. "You _have_ to let us meet him!" Armin demanded when he returned to his sitting position. Eren sat up and rubbed the back of his head, slightly sore from being unexpectedly bashed into the gray carpet beneath him. He stuck his tongue out at Armin and shrugged; a noncommittal gesture that guaranteed nothing.

"Come on Eren!" Armin groaned, hands wringing the air in front of him. "You should! What's the worst that could happen? It's not like we'll scare him off!"

To Eren's surprise, Mikasa turned her game off and nodded in agreement with Armin, leaning forwards so that she could stare into his eyes, probably hoping to make him crack if she stared long enough. "You should let us meet him sometime," Mikasa murmured after a moment. "I'd like to know I can trust this person. You haven't even told us his name yet."

Armin flung his arms around Mikasa, a grin on his face. "See Eren, Mikasa agrees with me! Ah, you're the best sister a guy could ask for despite the lack of blood shared!" A small smile tugged Mikasa's lips upwards but she pushed Armin off anyways, admittedly she did it gently. "So..." Mikasa began once more as she leaned forwards slightly. Armin leaned forwards with her till their heads, gold and ebony, were right next to each other and only a few feet away from Eren's face. "What's his name?"

Eren rolled his eyes and began to spell out the name _"L-E-V-I R-I-V-A-I-L-L-E."_ He had looked at the name in his phone so many times that the letters had been burned into his memory, along with the numbers that had followed them. Pathetic it might have been, but it was a distraction. It was something new. It had the possibility of being something interesting, of being an escape. He still had yet to even text Levi, too nervous to send something as simple as a "Hello."

"That name sounds familiar…" Armin muttered, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Isn't there a businessman with the last name of Rivaille in the city?" Mikasa and Eren shrugged in response, neither sure of an answer for Armin's question. Armin dropped that part of the subject and went back to delving for information about Levi. Eren gave his two friends all that he could, which admittedly wasn't much. Once Armin was certain that he had extracted the last of the information from Eren he finally ceased the interrogation and instead started up the PS3 so that they could play _Red Faction: Guerrilla_. They passed the two controllers back and forth between the three of them for a couple of hours until Armin's grandfather called them down for dinner.

The three of them set the table; Armin pulled down the glasses and poured everyone drinks; Mikasa set out the plates; Eren set a fork and knife by each plate and stuck spoons in various bowls. Armin's grandfather clapped a hand on Eren's shoulder as he passed by, carrying a handful of silverware. Eren jerked when the hand touched his shoulder, not expecting the spontaneous touch. He nearly sent half of the silverware clattering to the floor in his moment of surprise before he managed to recover and look up at Gramps. It was a fond name that he had adopted after being around Armin and his family so much.

A broad smile covered his face and the laugh lines were evident, even beneath the thick beard, which contained more gray than brown nowadays. "It's good to see you Eren." Eren nodded and returned the smile before they seated themselves around the table. Armin and his grandfather sat on one side, Mikasa and Eren on the other.

"Have you all heard that the Shiganshina City Orchestra will be returning from their tour in order to play in two weeks?" All three of the teenagers looked up at Gramps, their eyes questioning. Mikasa swallowed her mouthful of bread before she spoke, "They are?"

Gramps nodded and grinned at each of them in turn. "Yeah, they'll be here from the twenty-ninth of July till the fifth of August. They're performing every night if you kids would like to go watch."

Armin's eyes widened and he twisted in his seat to look at his grandfather, eyes glowing with excitement, "Really?!" His voice was a squeak and he was practically dancing in his seat, bouncing up and down with sudden enthusiasm. Eren was amazed he wasn't bouncing off the walls yet to be quite honest, but he could certainly understand why the blonde was so excited. Hopeful excitement budded in his chest; he had been positively _dying_ to go see the orchestra since he had first heard them perform years ago, but he had been unsuccessful in securing a ticket since then.

He bobbed his head in agreement when Gramps looked at him for his opinion. Mikasa murmured her acceptance too. The four of them smiled at each other, an aura of peace and happiness surrounding them as they finished the meal, chatting about anything and everything.

* * *

Eren slipped up the stairs early Saturday afternoon once he had finished devouring a bowl of Cheerios, years of habits keeping him silent despite the fact that he was currently the only person in the house. His father had left at six in the morning and Eren certainly didn't expect him back until at least six that night. Six was the time Grisha would get home if he opted to drink at home. If he opted to occupy a bar for a few hours, the amount of time he would spend there couldn't be gauged with any accuracy. Either way he still had at least four hours before his father came home, probably in a piss poor mood and ready to lash out at a moment's notice.

Eren left the door to his room ajar and crossed to the corner of his room, where the small, black, leather case sat beneath the window, pressed up against the white walls of the room. There were several music books and folders stacked on top of it and a music stand next to it. He tossed the books and folders onto his bed, picked the music stand up, taking a few moments to assemble it and set it on the wooden floor before he turned his attention to the case.

Gentle hands lifted the case and laid it on his bed before deft fingers flipped the metal clasps holding it closed. Eren ran his fingertips over the smooth wood of the violin that lay inside, the polished surface gleaming in the light. He took the bow out first, checking to ensure that all of the strands were in place before he exchanged it for the violin and began to tune the elegant piece of art, twisting the knobs and drawing the bow across the strings with expert grace until each produced the correct note.

He brought the violin up, resting it on his left shoulder, beneath the left side of his jaw. Eren let his eyes slide shut and drew in a breath before he drew the bow across the strings. His fingers began to move, running through various scales of notes, starting out simply before he quickly escalated to climb up the major scale, starting from as low as possible before reaching the highest note his violin was capable of.

As he played the scales his tempo slowly increased until the bow was little more than a blur. Fingers flew across the fingerboard of the violin, drawing out different notes as his hand darted about along the length of the fingerboard. He pulled the bow away, letting the final note fade into silence before he set the bow down, picked up one of the folders, and set it on the music stand.

He shuffled through the music arrangements until he found the one he wanted to play; "Sonata No.4 in A Minor" by Ludwig van Beethoven. He pulled it out and set it so that three of the six pages were visible, considering only three could fit and still be completely readable while on the stand. The song was divided into three parts; Presto, Andante scherzo piu allegretto, and Allegro molto. All of the Presto and most of the Andante scherzo were visible.

Eren set the violin back on his shoulder and rested his chin on is. Raising the bow to the strings he began to play. The bow flew across the strings, smooth and fluid, yet swift and gradual in turn as he brought the notes to life, filling the house with sound. It was a blessing that his father wasn't home otherwise his door would be bursting inwards by now. It was unfortunate that neither Mikasa nor Armin could play the piano as it sounded best as a duet.

He let the song trail away when he reached the last note on the third page before he began to skip around, hitting on the parts that gave him the most difficulty. After several renditions of the six pages, played three at a time, he switched songs, moving on to play "Gavotte" by Johann Bach. He pulled the bow across the strings, the pace brisk from the get-go. He swayed in time to the music, bouncing slightly on the ball of his foot to the short, swift notes while swaying from side to side during the slower, softer parts.

He let himself be sucked into the world of music till only the violin, the notes, and the music existed. There was a sense of peace to it, one he seemed to feel only while playing. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips and he left the sheet music behind, swaying to his own melody instead.

* * *

Dinner on Sunday night was a tense and silent affair, but then again, that was the norm for the household. Grisha sat at the end of the table, moodily stabbing at his plate and drinking a beer while Eren sat as far away as possible, picking quietly at his plate. Cautious glances towards his father occurred between every bite. Every movement that his father made put him on edge. He had started drinking earlier than usual and was currently working his way through his third drink within twenty minutes.

Silence hung heavily between them. Grisha didn't even try to make conversation despite the knowledge of ASL and the notepad and pen that Eren always carried around. Eren sighed and pushed a few green beans around before spearing them with his fork and chewing on them. _He could say something every now and then... Hell, I'd take him talking about his work over the silence._ However his father appeared to be immune to communication via thoughts and so he remained silent, glaring at the meal that Eren had prepared earlier. He couldn't even get a clear read on his father aside from the anger that perpetually radiated off of him.

Eren bit his lip and focused on his plate, pushing a piece of steak around with his fork before he finally pinned it down, raised it to his mouth, and began to gnaw on it. A heavy thunk brought his head shooting up, eyes flaring wide as he stared at the source of the sound. His father glanced up at him, eyes sour and mouth set in a grim line. "What are you looking at you little shit?" Eren shook his head and cast his eyes back down, focusing on the whorls of grain in the wooden tabletop.

"Useless…" his father muttered, stabbing viciously at his plate. Eren swallowed and quickly stuffed what little was left on his plate into his mouth, chewing and swallowing rapidly. He rose from the table and rinsed the plate off before sticking it in the dishwasher. He pulled the Tupperware containers down and tapped the table. Grisha glanced up, glaring at Eren as he watched his son gesture to the remaining food and then to his plate.

"Put it up already dumbass," he muttered, taking another swig of beer. Eren nodded, not that his father was paying attention anymore, and packed the food into the containers and stuffed them into the refrigerator. He left the dining room and ascended the steps to the second floor, ghosting through the hall till he was in his room, the door firmly shut behind him.

He sighed and leaned against the door, staring out the window, through the half shut curtains and into the darkness beyond. _I wonder when Dad's going to bed… I could go to the park again._ He glanced at his phone, lying silent on his bed. _Would Levi be there again?_ It had been nearly a week since he had met the strange man and he still had yet to text. Armin kept badgering him about texting him, but Eren couldn't help hesitating. What if he had just been bored that night, only going along with it all as a joke and nothing more?

Eren sighed again and raked his fingers through his hair, stopping just above his ears. He rubbed his fingertips in circles, tangling his hair around his fingers. _Hm… it's starting to get a little long. Maybe Mikasa would be willing to cut it sometime this week._ The raven haired girl had cut his hair several times, along with her own, Armin's, and even Gramps' hair.

He let his hands fall back to his sides as he wandered over to his window. He hooked his fingers under the lip and pulled it up, letting the cooling night air flow into the room. The sky had already darkened, dark clouds covering the sky and leaving the world in darkness aside from the streetlights and lit houses. A breeze rippled the curtains and his hair, carrying with it the heavy scent of rain. Eren took a deep breath and smiled, leaning out a little further, his elbows against the windowsill, his hands dangling over the edge.

"Eren, get your scrawny ass down here _this instant_!" Eren blanched and pulled back into his room, shutting the window and yanking the curtains shut before he emerged from his room. _What does he want now?_ He swallowed, his throat dry, as he descended the steps and saw his father standing in the doorway of the kitchen, a bottle clutched in his hand. Well, it was certainly better than the times where his father had been clutching a knife instead of a bottle.

Eren cocked his head to the side and drew a question mark in the air, hoping his father could understand what he meant despite the alcohol-induced lack of clarity that he was probably experiencing. Grisha dropped the bottle and it crashed on the floor, glass flying and beer splattering everywhere. Eren recoiled from the sound, taking a hesitant step backwards. _Maybe he'll just pass out. Please just pass out._ Fear began to slowly trickle through him and he fought against his instinct to either fight or flee. The latter of the two feelings was currently stronger, almost irresistible.

His father lurched forwards until he was only a few feet away from Eren, the stench of alcohol washing over Eren's face. He wrinkled his nose, but tried to hold still, unsure of what his father would do next. The answer came a moment later when his father gripped him by the shoulders, his fingers digging into his skin, and slammed him up against a wall, his grip on Eren's shoulders pinning him there so that he couldn't move. Eren's heart hammered away in his chest and he brought his hands up near his face. His father wasn't above knocking their heads together

That turned out to be a mistake.

Grisha brought his knee up, straight into Eren's crotch, releasing his grip on Eren as he did so. The impact was not merely painful; it was quite agonizing. Eren slithered down to the floor, mouth open in pained shock. His body curled in on itself, his hands automatically going down to his crotch, which burned with agony. Grisha snorted in contempt and drew his leg back. The tip of his foot caught Eren square in the chest, neither arm currently available for protecting that area. It was too high to knock the wind out of him, having caught him near his breastbone, but it roused a new flame of pain.

He pulled his arm up, just in time to catch another savage kick on his forearm. Eren clamped down on his lower lip, fighting the urge to scream. A pained whimper passed his lips, his eyes burning as he fought to stay silent, to keep from letting tears of pain slip away. Blood trickled into his mouth and down his chin as his teeth cut through his lips. His father shifted to his right, towards Eren's ankles. Eren sucked in a breath and pushed himself out of the way, sliding away on the wooden floor.

Grisha's foot slammed down on the floor, right where Eren's ankle had been moments before. "Hold still you creep," he muttered as he advanced. His face was dark with hatred, his lips pulled back in a feral snarl. "It's still your fault!" he spat at Eren, brown eyes blazing. "It's always been your fault, always will be. When has it not been your fault?" Grisha pulled his leg back again as the malicious words passed through his lips and Eren scrambled backwards, moving further down the hall, further into a dead end

His father only advanced towards him, feet heavy on the wooden boards. Every footstep sent a new jolt of fear coursing through him, burning through his veins and turning his body to ice. "You should have died with her!" Eren froze, breath coming in gasps as he stared up at his father. Grisha smirked, triumph flaring across his face and he pulled back and kicked Eren again, straight in the shin.

Eren yelped and tried to move further away, his right leg numb from where the blow had landed. Eren bit down on his arm, holding back any more sounds. "Disgusting…" Another blow caught him on the side of his kneecap. His teeth dug further into his forearm but they didn't draw blood. "Hmph..." Eren glanced up and watched as his father turned and stormed away, probably to pick up another bottle.

He pulled his arm away from his mouth, a circle of deep teeth marks evident on the tan skin. His lip stung, his limbs ached, and his face burned with shame. Eren rose slowly and dragged the back of his hand across his mouth, smearing the blood that stained his lips. He stumbled up the stairs, his right leg giving him an undesired limp. He managed to make it back to his room without incident, where he changed clothes, cleaned himself the best that he could, and fell backwards onto his bed.

Eren twisted his head to look at the bedside stand where a framed picture sat, holding the image of a smiling brown haired woman. _Sorry mom._ He looked the other way, fresh tears prickling at his eyes. He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes, fighting away the tears that seemed to insist upon coming. Eren glanced the other way, away from the picture frame. His phone sat on his desk. _I could text Mikasa or Armin… or I could text Levi._

Somehow he managed to get his protesting limbs to move once more, finding the will to stand and slowly inch over to the desk. Finally, after nearly a week of holding off and postponing the inevitable, Eren finally scrolled through his contacts and selected Levi's. Tapping the screen, he opened a new text message and began to type.

**To Levi Rivaille:  
Hey. It's Eren, the one from the park. Do you wanna come to the park tonight?  
Sent: 8:46 PM, July 21, 2013**

He set the phone on the desk and waited to see if Levi would respond. He was unprepared when his phone began to violently buzz on his desk within minutes of sending the text. Eren picked up his phone and opened the text, his breath caught in his throat.

**From Levi Rivaille:  
Oh wow, looks like you're alive. Whatever, it's not like I've got anything better to do  
Received: 9:00 PM, July 21, 2013**

**To Levi Rivaille:  
Course I'm alive! I was just busy -_- I'll be at the swings in ten  
Sent: 9:03 PM, July 21, 2013**

**From Levi Rivaille:  
Alright, alright. I'll be there brat. Don't get your boxers in a twist  
Received: 9:07 PM, July 21, 2013**

**Chapter 2: End**

* * *

Sorry it took so long but hey, it's finally out~ I'll keep this short since it's very late/early in the morning. Thanks for reading (and being patient!), and I hope you continue to enjoy. _"This"_ represents Eren's "speech" when he's signing. Don't expect an update for either story tomorrow; one of our cats is being taken to the vet to determine if she'll be put down or not. Onto the comments:

**Anon (Animo32124): **Haha thank you~ I do believe I haven't heard of that one... I'll look it up! Forgetting about _END GAME..._ that'd be like forgetting my imaginary firstborn.**  
ricemidget: **Thank you~ I hope you continue to enjoy**  
Ryoma 2008: **Haha, all in due time**  
Flawless Flower: **Thanks for pointing that out; English is my only language so anything outside of that is based off of GoogleTranslate and various other sources. I'll fix that later on today. And I hope this chapter clarified the fact that Eren is technically mute aside from the odd word every now and then.


	3. Thunder

**Speak!**

**Chapter 3: Thunder**

* * *

The night was lukewarm, but thick and sticky with moisture. Rain was imminent, but hopefully it wouldn't start off as a downpour right off the bat. Eren let go of the branch and landed on the ground in a crouch with a soft thud. Luckily the limbs of the tree came within ten feet of the ground, otherwise some very ungraceful sliding and scrabbling down the tree trunk would have been necessary.

It was an entrance and an escape that he had used numerous times, as one of the thicker limbs was only a foot or two away from the windowsill of the guest room while the trunk was right outside of the kitchen. The location was far enough away from the living room and his father's bedroom, both of which were on the bottom floor. His father would be unable to hear or see him unless he was staring out the windows. From above, the window to the den, his room, and guestroom were hidden by leaves. No one from above could possibly have a chance of seeing through the thick foliage during the summer.

Eren straightened up and began to walk, jamming his hands into the pockets of his gray jacket as his steps carried him away from the house and into the dark night. He cut through the backyards of his neighbors, creeping along quietly as he tried not to disturb anything, or anyone for that matter.

The grass was covered in dew, quickly soaking the bottoms of his jeans and seeping into his shoes. Having his socks clinging to his feet wasn't the most enjoyable, but after everything else he could certainly handle his socks being a little damp. He crept around the tall wooden fence of the fourth house to the right of his own.

Hopefully there wouldn't be any nocturnal animals roaming around; he wasn't really in the mood to deal with a raccoon or an opossum. _That would be a wonderful way to top the day, getting attacked by a territorial animal that might have rabies. Dad would get a kick out of that. Actually, I'd probably be the one quite literally getting a kick out of that._ An explosion of barking filled the air nearby and Eren jumped, his heart leaping into his throat.

The barks carried on, another dog joining the sudden cacophony that had initially shattered the peaceful silence. Eren pressed his hand to the wooden fence and took a breath, trying to calm his racing pulse. _Jesus fucking Christ, that was _not_ something I needed right now._ He sucked down another breath and began to move once more, his pace increasing to a light jog. It hurt to do so; his leg was still aching from where his father had kicked it.

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face and he brushed it away. Another breeze pushed the heavy air about, the leaves whispering as they were tossed about. Eren reached the street at the end of the houses and turned, carrying along the streets. His steps slowed as he neared the park so he entered at a walk, passing between the stone walls. The chatter of crickets in the grass, the croak of bullfrogs, and the hoot of owls followed him as he walked through the park, footsteps silent on the cobbled path.

Nothing moved aside from the occasional gleam of eyes that stared out at him from the shadows of the bushes and trees, only to disappear after a few moments of holding his gaze. _Admittedly, it's better to be stared at by animals in the bushes than mugged by men in the shadows. Now that I think about it, going to the park of all places after dark is never the best of ideas, but I'm already here and, hopefully, Levi is too._

The swing sets soon came into sight, the seats shifting back and forth in the erratic wind. Only one of the swings was occupied. The coal-colored hair atop the man's head was unmistakable, especially since not many people cut it in a style quite like that. Levi was wearing a black jacket with red stripes and a gray hood, faded blue jeans, and well-worn black combat boots. Eren watched as Levi toed the ground, a disinterested expression on his face. Another gust of wind sent the branches above Eren rattling and creaking.

He hurried onwards to the swing sets. Levi glanced up when he was a few feet away, his face still holding the expression of disinterest. "Hey." Eren lifted his hand in a little wave and eased himself down into the swing next to Levi, wincing slightly as his knee throbbed with pain. The gray eyed man looked at Eren, staring intently at his face before he glanced away. Levi raised his face to the dark, cloudy sky above and sighed. "So… what did you want?"

Eren stretched his leg out and pulled out his phone. The tap of fingers on keys, the rustle of leaves, and the rumble of distant thunder filled the silence between them as Eren formulated a response. He held the phone out for Levi to see. The screen cast a yellowish glow across Levi's face as the gray eyed man leaned over a little closer to see what Eren had typed out.

**Not much really. I just wanted to talk to someone. 'Sides, there's nothing to do at my house.**

Levi finished reading the message and pulled back. He crossed his legs and leaned on his knee, head turned towards Eren. "What about your friends?" Thunder rumbled overhead, closer and louder than it had been before. Eren shivered at the sound and pulled the phone back to type out another message. He held it out for Levi to read once more once he finished.

**They're probably busy. Armin's probably playing his grandfather in chess. Mikasa is probably watching them and playing a video game or something.**

"That's a lot of maybes," Levi commented. He began to rock sway, slowly pushing himself back and forth with the foot still in contact with the ground. Gray eyes slid over, towards Eren, strangely void of emotion, almost like Levi had a wall up between them. "You know, meeting during the daytime tends to be more convenient. Not to mention safer." Eren shrugged in response, a grin on his face as Levi read the next message.

**Maybe, but the interesting people are always out at night.**

Levi snorted, his shoulders jerking once as he shook his head. Eren though it was probably safe to say that Levi was amused, even if it was only slightly. "Muggers are out at night too. Are _they_ interesting?" Eren stuck his tongue out at Levi. Thunder rumbled in the distance, faint and nearly masked by the constant rustling of leaves.

**I didn't say everyone now did I? Besides, you were out here the other night. Why?**

"No, I suppose you didn't." Levi tilted his head back and looked up at the cloud-shrouded sky. His hair fluttered around his face as the wind picked up. The wind did not cease blowing this time, staying constant instead. "I was taking pictures," Levi said after a few moments, his steely eyes still locked on the sky above. "It was a good night for photography."

**Ah, I never told you but those pictures you took were amazing! How long have you been into photography?**

Levi shrugged and his brow crinkled slightly as he thought. Another clap of thunder filled the air, like a long and drawn out gunshot. It wasn't that loud but Eren couldn't help the flinch that accompanied the noise. He saw Levi glance at him out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn't quite read the other man's expression.

Eren began to tick off the seconds. He could remember when Gramps had told them that they could approximate how far the center of a storm was, just by counting the seconds between claps of thunder and bolts of lightning. _One, two, three, four, five, six._ Thunder rolled, muted from the distance and nearly masked by the rustling leaves. _Perhaps I should have just waited for a time when a storm wasn't about to open up on our heads._ "I've been taking them since I was young. My mother did some photography when she was younger. She gave me my first camera."

**That was nice of your mother. What does she do?**

Eren knew that he had said something wrong when Levi's hands clenched around the chains and his gray eyes slid out into the darkness of the trees ahead. The other man's body was tense. He must have been uncomfortable with where the topic of their talk had gone. Everything about him suddenly seemed closed off, even more so than before. Eren bit his lip and started another line, typing out a simple message. He held it out near Levi and waited for the other man to look over and see.

Lightning streaked across the sky, striking a place somewhere nearby, maybe a mile or two away. Before the light had even disappeared a massive clap of thunder shook the air. It sounded more like an explosion. Eren flinched, reflexively trying to find something solid to press his body up against. The phone fell from his grasp, landing face down in the dirt by Levi's feet. Eren didn't care.

His chest was tight with panic and he couldn't seem to draw enough air in. _Idiot, idiot, it's just thunder, nothing more._ Levi glanced down at the phone first and then at Eren, confusion and concern flashing across his eyes. "Are you alright?" Eren nodded and tried to suck a breath down his tightening windpipe. A gust of wind whipped their hair around their heads and tore leaves from their branches, sending them fluttering into the air.

Levi raised an eyebrow, but bent over anyways to pick up the phone. He glanced at the phone screen before he twisted in his seat and held it out for Eren, his long, slim fingers curled around the, thankfully, undamaged screen. Eren reached out to grasp it in a weak two-finger grip. His arm, no, his whole body, trembled violently as he gingerly pinched it between his fingers and pulled it back towards him. It was surprising that he could even keep a grip on the phone.

"Don't like thunderstorms?" Eren shook his head in response. It wasn't _thunderstorms_ that he was scared of; it was what the thunder reminded him off. Reminding him of what could be waiting at home. Something fell in front of his face. Eren blinked and pulled back, just in time for something to land on the top of his head. It took a moment before he realized that his head was slowly starting to grow damp in that spot. Both he and Levi glanced up, staring at the sky as more raindrops began to plummet through the air.

"You should go home," Levi said after a moment. Eren nodded and stood, his legs stiff and his chest still feeling constricted. He turned back to Levi and mouthed something, one word, to the other man before he turned around and began to walk away, his legs moving rapidly beneath him. _"Thanks."_

* * *

**From Armin Arlert:  
Eeeeerrrrrreeeeeennnn~ wanna come over and help us paint tomorrow?  
Received: 8:03 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Ah sorry! I was taking a shower. I can't come and help. I've got some chores around the house to do. Sorry!  
Sent: 8:42 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Nah, don't worry about it! It's not like we won't manage if you aren't here. Besides, Mikasa certainly won't miss the paint in her hair! XD  
Received: 8:46 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Hey! We were 6 okay so give me a break -_- honestly Armin…  
Sent: 8:50 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Heck no, that was priceless! The look on her face… oh God, I think I'm going to die from laughing at the memory of that XD can't you see it now, the tombstone with an epitaph of "Here lies Armin Arlert: died from laughing too hard."  
Received: 8:55 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
You forgot the "Poor Armin, that crazy idiot just couldn't stop laughing."  
Sent: 8:59 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Hey now. If you had to pick one word to describe me, 'idiot' would certainly not be it. More like 'super-talented-and-sexy-genius.' And yes, that is technically counted as one word.  
Received: 9:03 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
-_- I'm not entirely sure that would all fit on a tombstone  
Sent: 9:08 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Oh, you never know~ besides, there's always etching it in smaller font sizes!  
Received 9:11 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
You're crazy…  
Sent: 9:13 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Maaaaaybe, but at least I'm certifiably sane! Alright, Mikasa is demanding that I put the phone down and help her move furniture. I'll text ya later!  
Received: 9:17 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Have fun with that XD  
Sent: 9:15 AM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

* * *

Eren rolled his phone around, flipping it along his desk one way with his index finger before he brought it back and then repeated the process again. His cheek was pressed against the cool, wooden surface, his eyes staring at the bookshelf to the right of the desk. It was Tuesday, two days after the storm, and it was still muggy outside.

The clouds had yet to leave, choosing to linger and prevent the rain from evaporating. Clouds created a gray blanket above, full of ridges and discolored spots. Rain would occasionally fall in short, light bursts, but otherwise it simply remained overcast and humid. Admittedly, it was better than being stuck under the blazing summer sun, but it was starting to get a little dull. All of the chores had been attended to and the house was more or less clean from top to bottom. Well, it was clean concerning the list that his father had left him, so that was probably good enough. His father wouldn't notice either way.

With a sigh Eren unlocked his phone and glanced at the clock; **3:05 PM**. _There's the possibility that Dad will actually get off work and make it home around six like he's supposed to. Armin and Mikasa can't text since they're painting one of their bathrooms. What to do… what to do…_ Eren flipped the phone over onto its back and sat up, pulling his face away from his desk. His eyes darted across the room, flickering over the numerous books scattered about, his violin, hidden within its case, the old Gameboy on his bookshelf, the computer right in front of him. _I just wanna get out for a few hours…_

A thought struck him, something that could both combat the boredom and bring some relief to the heat of the day, especially since he planned to go outside. Eren spun the chair around and rose to his feet, pocketing his phone before he began the hunt for his wallet. It wasn't much of a hunt, as this time he actually managed to remember that he had set it on his bookshelf, but usually finding the black, _Legend of Zelda_ themed wallet could turn into a game of hide-and-seek with an inanimate object.

Eren slid it into his jeans, slipped through the house and down the stairs. Each step was unnecessarily precise, every movement calculated carefully, despite the lack of need at the current moment. He pulled his jacket from the coatrack by the door, a thin, green jacket with a white rose on the back, before he left the house, locking the front door behind him.

Outside, it was muggier than he had initially thought, the air enveloping him like a damp cloth. The quality of it was almost suffocating, sucking away the oxygen of each breath. It was regrettable that he hadn't exchanged his jeans for shorts before leaving the house, but at least the T-shirt he was wearing allowed for some relief from the sticky, suppressing air. He cut through the grass instead of following the stone path to the driveway.

Sweat started to bead along the back of his neck, his hair sticking to the damp skin. His shirt was clinging to his back by the time he had walked two blocks. _And Armin still questions why I hate the summer. It's too damn hot and humid!_ Being outside _did_ provide a nice distraction for his mind though. As a plus, it also helped work out the remaining stiffness that lingered in his leg as he walked.

A black Mercedes rolled by, the heavy thud of bass audible from the sidewalk. Eren rolled his eyes as it passed by. He turned the corner, passing by the park and carrying on for several minutes. His surroundings changed from the more widespread suburban sprawl to a more compact city build, where the buildings were packed right on top of each other, aside from the alleyways that occasionally cut between buildings.

Within a few minutes of entering the more compact part of the city, Eren spotted the place he had in mind; Christian's Café. Numerous visits had been made there over the years with Armin and Mikasa and countless dollar bills had been dropped on the speckled counter, all for a cup of lemonade and a warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookie each.

Eren waited at the corner of the street, people slowly gathering around, as they waited for the light to change. The cars passing by began to slow until they finally came to a stop as the crosswalk light flickered to green. The people in the cluster began to move sluggishly, like a thick substance oozing across the hot, black asphalt underfoot. Eren clung to the outer edge of the group and broke away as soon as they reached the other side.

Eager hands pulled the door to the café open, freezing air washing over him and the quiet tinkle of bells reaching his ears over the thrum of the streets outside. He could almost feel the sweat on his back freeze instantly from the AC that was going full blast. The door slipped shut behind him, cutting off the hot air that had tried to thread its way in. He glanced around, inspecting the shop, which looked - and smelled - almost the same as it always did.

Walls painted in light pastel colors, white and blue checkered linoleum floors, dark brown counters, the tops made of light brown wood polished so much that a person could use the countertop as a mirror. Chairs made of dark metal and plush, colorful cushions were stuck beneath white-topped circular tables. The back wall had four boards hung up top; the menus. Beneath there was a gap in the pastel brickwork where the kitchen staff in the bakery part of the establishment placed the orders. The rich scent of baking goods, coffee, and so much more filled the air, combining to make an intoxicating aroma that wafted enticingly at ones nose.

Eren extracted his wallet from his pocket and approached the counter, his mind already made up. Ordering was always interesting to say the least, especially without Mikasa or Armin, but luckily most places were willing to read the order off of his phone. The blonde girl behind the counter glanced up at Eren, her ice blue eyes full of disinterest as they raked over him before returning to the magazine lying open in front of her. "Hello and welcome to Christian's Café. How may I help you?"

Eren slid the phone up next to the girl's magazine. Blue eyes slid over to the phone, flickered up to him, and back down to the phone. "Whatever," she muttered. She turned to the monitor above the cash register and tapped the screen a few times. "That'll be five dollars and fifty-two cents." Eren rummaged around in his wallet for a moment before he dropped a somewhat crumpled bill and an assortment of coins into the girl's outstretched hand.

He spared a moment to glance at her name tag while she counted the coins. It read; **Hi! My name is: Annie**. Her name was printed in small, fine letters that were all kind of smashed together. The girl, Annie, passed him back a nickel and three pennies in exchange for the sixty cents he had given her. Eren moved to the side, waiting patiently for his order as an elderly woman with steel-colored hair stepped up to the counter.

Eren leaned up against the counter, watching the three people in the kitchen portion of the shop. Admittedly, he could only see their upper halves, but it was still fascinating to watch them move, looks of pure concentration, but enjoyment on their faces. "Here you go." Annie slid a clear plastic cup and a thin, crinkly paper bag over to him. Eren nodded in thanks and grabbed both of the items, turning to scan for an open seat in the shop. After a few moments his eyes settled on a familiar mop of black hair with an undercut.

The head beneath the inky black hair was bent low over a book, one hand holding the side, the other curled around a cup of what appeared to be coffee. Eren didn't need to see his face to know it was Levi. Just the way he carried himself was enough of a clue. Eren approached the table Levi was sitting at, taking in the man's appearance as he did so. Levi was wearing tight black jeans, black and white Converses, and a faded green T-shirt.

Eren had to do a double take when he saw the glasses perched on Levi's slim nose. They were a flat black, seemingly rectangular from the angle Eren was standing at, and somewhat thickly rimmed. Combined with the book they almost made him look scholarly. _Who in their right mind would be drinking coffee on a day like this?_ Eren set his cup down on the table.

The movement must have caught Levi's eye because he glanced up, his steely eyes already blazing with anger, like he was ready to tear the throat out of whoever dared to approach. Eren watched as the anger slowly bled from Levi's eyes, replaced by a vague look of irritation. "Oh. It's you again. Happy coincidence I assume?" Levi gestured for Eren to sit down and Eren did, pulling the metal chair out with a scrape. The gray eyed man watched as Eren pulled out his phone and began to type before sliding the phone across the table. He could barely suppress a smile when Levi rolled his eyes, closed his book partway, leaving only his thumb as a marker, so he could read. Eren glanced at the title of the book; _A Game of Thrones._

**Haha, that's pretty much it. I wanted something cold but nothing in the house seemed good. Is your book good? And since when do you wear glasses?**

Levi slid the phone back and took a sip of his drink, small wisps of steam curling around his face. "If it wasn't good do you think I'd be reading it?" Eren shook his head, but he didn't miss the slight upwards twitch to Levi's lips, along with the eye roll. "So nosy… I've had glasses for years. I just usually wear contacts. Got a problem with that?" Eren shook his head again, a grin on his face. Levi rolled his eyes again and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Well, at least you aren't asking me to come out during the middle of the night. Unlike you, I'd rather not get mugged," Levi said, flipping his book back open. Eren took a sip of lemonade, watching the other man read, his storm-gray eyes sliding rapidly over the page. The lemonade was sweet and tart, the perfect blend between. It soothed the dry feeling that had cropped up in his throat on the way over and worked its way throughout his body, spreading out in icy tendrils.

"Does your family even know you go out at night?" Eren froze at the question, the red straw still between his lips. He glanced up at Levi, piercing gray eyes freezing him in place as they demanded an answer. He set the cup down and slowly began to type, fingers threatening to lock up. It was hard enough to type already, with his hands trembling subtly. The message was short and clipped. There was nothing to say, not about his family. There were some things that people did not need to know.

**No.**

Gray eyes slid back up from the message to Eren. It almost seemed like Levi was staring straight through him, looking right into his mind and heart as he searched for an answer. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for," Levi said with a nod. "I don't tell my father either. The idiot probably doesn't even notice I'm gone half the time." Levi shrugged and picked up his coffee up, the book closing around his thumb once more.

He held the cup in a strange way, grasping it by the rim and lid instead of around the sides. Liquid sloshed around the cup as Levi swirled it about for a moment. For several long moments there was nothing but silence between them. The sounds of the shop were clearly audible; the hiss of machines, the scrape of metal on metal, the friendly-sounding banter of the cooks, the ring of the register, and the chatter of people around them.

Levi looked up at Eren and leaned forwards slightly, pointing at Eren. His glasses slipped down his nose a little as his brow wrinkled slightly in thought. "There's something about you… I can't quite place it but there's something." Eren felt his eye twitch but he shrugged and smiled anyways. Instead of responding he opted to open the paper bag and pull out the cookie.

He glanced up at Levi, broke it in half, and passed one of the halves over to the other man. Levi glanced at it and looked at Eren for several seconds before glancing down at the outstretched half of the cookie. "You do realize your hands are probably filthy?" Eren rolled his eyes and dropped the cookie in front of Levi. He raised the other to his own mouth and bit down on the soft dough, the sweet taste of chocolate chips and vanilla exploding on his tongue.

Waggling his eyebrows daringly at the other man, Eren took another bite, a grin stretched across his face. Levi sighed and picked up the half of the cookie, fixing a half-hearted glare at Eren. "You're so weird." Eren watched as Levi took a hesitant bite. "Okay, I'll give you credit here. It's good." The grin on Eren's face somehow managed to stretch wider before he clamped his lips around the red straw, fighting to hold back the persistent smile.

Rain dusted the windows they sat by, sprinkling on and off over the course of the next hour. Most of it was spent in silence, simply sitting there and sipping their respective drinks and eating their half of the cookie. Words occasionally punctuated the silence, followed by Eren's silent typed replies. Finally, around five, Levi rose to his feet, cup and book, which had long since been closed, in hand.

"I've gotta go. Appearance is mandatory tonight at the house." A grimace crossed his face as he spoke, one of disgust and hatred. "See you around." Eren watched as Levi waved over his shoulder and walked out of the shop before he leaned back in his chair and sighed, a grin on his face.

* * *

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Yo, Mikasa what's up?  
Sent: 5:23 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Not much. We just finished painting about thirty minutes ago. What's up with you?  
Received: 5:30 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Eh not much. I just got back from the café; was talking to Levi.  
Sent: 5:33 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
…This is the one from the park correct?  
Received: 5:39 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Yup~  
Sent: 5:41, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Did he just happen to be there or did you arrange it?  
Received: 5:48 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Just happened to be there. He was reading when I got there. Speaking of which, would you guys happen to own a copy of A Game of Thrones?  
Sent: 5:51 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
I think Armin might. I can ask if you want. Why?  
Received: 5:56 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
No reason. I just heard that it was a good book to read. Asking would be lovely~ Sheesh, I keep forgetting how slow you text XD  
Sent: 5:58 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Oh, okay. That is something I cannot help. Texting is bothersome and a waste of my time unless it comes to you or Armin. I've got to go now. Armin is yelling about something concerning a rat I think.  
Received: 6:07 PM, July 22****nd****, 2013**

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Haha, true XD Alright have fun~ tell me what he's screaming about later!  
Sent: 6:09 PM, July 22****nd****,**

**Chapter 3: End**

* * *

Sorry it took so long! Ai yah... I just couldn't think of what to write for this chapter! And I had some library books to read. And other stories to write, both fanfiction and non. Aaanyays, I'm going to keep this short so I can get back to writing. All. Night. Long. Maybe. It depends.

**dragonfire04:** I'm glad you think that.  
**Flawless Flower:** Haha, all in good time, all in good time...  
**Anon (Nanaki):** Ah, thank you~ That's very kind of you.  
**BloodiedReaper:** I'm glad you enjoyed _EG_! Ah, thank you X3 Haha, I hope it continues to be different/original and fun to read~  
**wolfdefender01:** I'm glad you love it~ Haha, oh yes, poor, poor Eren :)


	4. Suppression

**Speak!**

**Chapter 4: Suppression**

* * *

The house was cold, freezing in fact, but it was pure bliss compared to the heat outside. It was Thursday, the twenty-fifth of July, and _damn_ was it hot outside. The rain had ceased, the clouds had scattered, and the sun was back in full force, leeching the moisture from the air. The temperature outside had already broken the one hundred degree mark and was still slowly inching its way upwards as noon closed in.

Being inside with the AC dialed down to sixty degrees was the perfect counter to the raging heat. That and staying inside all day, wearing nothing but a dark gray tank top and baggy, forest green shorts, which was exactly what Levi was doing.

The lights in his room were off, illuminated only by the blue-white glow of the laptop and the early afternoon glow that came in through heavily curtained windows. He sat on his bed, back against the headboard, glasses perched on nose, and a book in hand.

Music pulsed from the speakers connected to the laptop on his desk, a mixture of classical, rock, instrumental, and punk. It was a mix that Zoe had dubbed 'strange,' as if _she_ was one to comment on strange things.

Speaking of which, that crazy woman would be replying any moment now. Levi could only hope that it wouldn't be something not even worth his time to respond to. That, however, tended to be the usual path of their conversations.

Zoe never failed to rant about her terrariums, which contained any variety of snakes, frogs, turtles, and insects. They came from both the wild and pet stores. Levi found it amazing that Zoe's father and stepmother could even put up with all the animals she was constantly bringing home.

He flipped a page, his eyes rapidly scanning over the print. Despite having reread _A Dance of Dragons_ numerous times, he still couldn't help but go back and reread numerous sections again and again and again. The book was simply too good to not constantly reread.

His phone buzzed on the comforter next to him, jarring him from the pages of the book. He pinched the phone between his fingers and, sure enough, there was a text from Zoe.

**From Zoe:  
Come on Levi! You know you wanna! :3 besides my house it literally a two minute walk away AT MOST. Do I have to find something to bribe you? I've got popsicles if that'll work.  
Received: 11:41 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

Levi rolled his eyes at Zoe's message. _That woman never learns. How long is it going to take her to realize that there is no chance that I'm going outside today?_ He sighed and propped his book open on his knee. There was no point in getting a bookmark, as the response would be quick.

**To Zoe:  
No. You couldn't pay me enough to go outside today.  
Sent: 11:44 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

He dropped the phone beside him on the bed and opened his book once more. Admittedly, he could have just stopped texting Zoe, but that tended to lead to her spamming his phone until he either turned it off or responded.

The song trailed off, changing to a song he couldn't name for the first few seconds. The name hit him about ten seconds in: "Painting Flowers" by All Time Low. His phone began to vibrate again, the sound muted by the gray comforter, and he spread his book open once more.

**From Zoe:  
Oh come on! Phil wants to see you! Besides, Petra is out. She won't be back till four or so.  
Received: 11:47 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

A grimace rose to Levi's lips when he read the first part of Zoe's message. Phil was the name that Zoe had given to her Ball Python. It was unfortunate that she had acquired Phil before she could tell the difference from a male and female snake as that led to a slight identity crisis when Phil turned out to be a female.

The python had a tendency to twist itself around Levi's leg and not move for long periods of time. She had once clung to his left leg for nearly three hours before moving on to wrap herself around one of the poles in Zoe's room, place specifically for Zoe's assortment of snakes.

Petra, on the other hand, was Zoe's half-sister, and two years younger. She had been, for a lack of better terms, stalking Levi ever since he had arrived the year prior. If it was awkward when he went to Zoe's house and she was there, then it was even worse when Zoe had to bring Petra with her to Levi's home.

**To Zoe:  
But what if I don't want to see Phil?  
Sent: 11:49 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

**From Zoe:  
Suck it up and get your pasty, white ass over here ASAP. Please.  
Received: 11:52 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

Levi sighed and dropped his head back on his headboard. He would get no piece unless he caved to Zoe's demands. _Perhaps that's why she's so demanding – because she knows I'll eventually give up and go along with it just to shut her up._

**To Zoe:  
Fine. Just shut up already.  
Sent: 11:54 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

**From Zoe:  
Excellent!  
Received: 11:55 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

Levi grabbed his bookmark from the stand by his bed and dropped the book on to his bed to pick up later. He had to admit, getting out of the house _would_ be nice.

It would mean that he didn't have to share the same breathing space as his father for another twenty-four hours straight before the man left on yet another business trip. Calling the man 'father' was a bit of a stretch, especially since Richard Rivaille had not been aware of his existence until about nineteen months ago.

He crossed the room and pulled open one of the dresser drawers, carefully rummaging through the neatly folded shirts in the drawer. He found a shirt within seconds, a white T-shirt with a black and gray koi on the front. Levi folded the gray tank top and set it on the comforter.

He dropped the phone into one of his pockets, pulled on a pair of clean, white socks, and a pair of dark gray tennis shoes. Levi shut his computer down, turned the speakers off, and left the room, shutting the door behind him with a muted click.

The second floor of the house was dark. No one else was up there to occupy any of the rooms during the day and since his father's study was on the first floor, where he spent most of his time. His father only came up when necessary.

Such times consisted of traversing the halls to and from his room and the rare occasions when he actually saw fit to speak face-to-face with Levi. Those were times that Levi detested for numerous reasons.

He slipped down the carpeted stairs and out into the main hall. His father was nowhere to be seen. It was almost a definite that he was either in his study or out with some unknown woman from some unknown place.

Levi didn't bother calling out or leaving a note. That would have been a waste of time for the both of them. He slammed the door shut on his way out, just in case his father happened to be home. Anything to irritate him was worth it.

No clouds, even small, wispy ones, hung in the sky. Only the sun was visible in the blue expanse overhead, beating down on the earth. There was a slight wind blowing, making the heat outside slightly less unbearable. Levi kept his eyes focused forwards and walked quickly, focused on getting to Zoe's and getting out of the damnable heat as soon as possible.

Luckily, Zoe lived only fifteen houses down, a straight walk to the right that only took two to three minutes to walk to and from their respective homes. Only a few people were outside. One elderly man with a wide-brimmed sun hat was watering his garden. A woman in a white shirt was walking, a small child in a tote.

Most people, _sane_ people, were inside, where it was nice and cool, the AC on full blast to combat the heat wave. _Note to self: murder Zoe if she ever asks me to come outside on a day like this ever again._ He reached her house, turned up the driveway/path leading to her porch and the two-story house painted a light, faded green.

The yard was drenched in shadows, provided by a thick, towering oak tree and several apple trees. Clusters of flowers and shrubs grew along the path to the porch, along with a small shade garden beneath the tree. Zoe's stepmother, Angie, was the plant fanatic in the family, and had stuck potted plants in nearly every room. She had even coaxed numerous climbing roses to scale the railing on the steps and the porch.

Levi ascended the steps, wary of any stray tendrils that were creeping their way across the steps, and punched the doorbell. He could hear the chimes from outside, loud and incessant. There was a thump, a crash, the sound of feet pounding into the floor, and the door was jerked open, revealing a breathless Zoe. "Levi! I was sure you were just saying that so I would shut up."

She flung her arms out, trying to envelope him in a hug. Levi ducked beneath her outstretched arms and dodged to the side. "I considered that several times. Now stop before I strangle you." Zoe stuck her tongue out, but ushered him inside anyways, pushing him into the living room. Everything was as Levi remembered.

The walls were still painted dark brown with green swirls resembling vines, the light gray couch and chairs were still in their usual places, and every available non-seating surface had a plant sitting on it. A cat lounged on one of the gray chairs, its long, stone gray fur blending in with the fabric aside from the darker spots that mottled its body. Lazy yellow eyes fixed on Levi as the cat looked up at him and blinked, its tail flicking from side to side.

The cat, dubbed Sophia, was a recent addition to the Hanji household, acquired when Zoe's father found her on the porch one morning, barely more than skin and bones. Zoe swept over to the feline and stroked her ears, cooing at the cat.

Levi rolled his eyes at his friend's actions and waited for her to do something other than coddle the cat. Zoe spent about fifteen more seconds petting the cat before she darted off into the kitchen.

A door opened and the quiet hum of a freezer entered the space. Levi could hear her rummaging about in the freezer for a moment before the door slammed shut and she emerged, a grin on her face and two plastic wrapped Popsicles in hand. "There's nothing to combat the heat like flavored ice!" She passed one to Levi and tore the wrapper off her own, revealing a rectangle of purple ice on a stick.

"Don't worry," Zoe said, holding her hand out for Levi's wrapper, "I definitely poisoned it." Levi rolled his eyes and slowly peeled the wrapped away until the Popsicle was revealed, orange in color. Zoe snatched the wrapper from his hand, darted off once more, and reappeared moments later, the wrappers gone. "Come on," Zoe said, marching towards the stairs to the basement, "Let's go, let's go! And don't roll your eyes!"

"Too late," Levi muttered, his shoulders jerking once in a slightly amused chuckle. He followed Zoe down the steps, shutting the door behind him before following her down the wooden steps to her room. Zoe had most of the basement to herself. Well, to herself and her pets, along with the collection of plants too delicate to go outside.

Shoved into the corner farthest away from the stairs sat her bed, the green and blue covers in such disarray that Levi's hands itched to fix it. Crammed against the wall to the left of the bed sat a dresser, bookshelf, and desk, all three covered with books and miscellaneous items.

She had arranged it so that the cages containing various animals were pushed into the corner to the left of the stairs. The glass cages were filled with an assortment of objects; branches, leaves, rocks, plants, water. Most of the reptiles and amphibians were inside their respective terrariums, all but one.

Phil slowly raised her yellow-and-gray-scaled head from where she was sitting on one of the numerous perches spread out across Zoe's room, which both the snakes and Sophia would occupy whenever the chance presented itself. Thankfully, Phil decided to stay on her perch instead of giving it up to coil herself around Levi's leg again.

Zoe sat down on the chair at her desk, pulling the other closer with her foot. Levi took the hint and crossed the room to sit down. "So," Zoe said, pausing to lick her Popsicle. "What have you been up to that warrants not responding even though both you and I know that you don't do anything."

Levi shrugged in response. "You're going to have to be a little more specific than that. I ignore you all the time." He had a feeling he knew what Zoe was referring too, but it was always wise to check before talking.

Talking about the wrong thing might lead to an accidental five-hour discussion, which had happened more times than Levi cared to count. Several had ended with Zoe having her mouth taped shut and her hands taped together. She still tried to mumble through the tape, which was somehow even more irritating than when she was talking his ear off.

"Well, first is the day when we had that big storm. You were texting me one moment and then you disappeared for like, an hour. You never did say where you went. And don't even say you lost reception. You could get reception with that hunk of plastic and parts six miles underground."

Levi winced at the mention of that night. He _had_ stopped texting Zoe. He had done it in favor of going to the park, going to see Eren. However, she was exaggerating about his phone's capability of acquiring signals so far below ground.

"Then there was that incident a couple of days ago where you were in that coffee shop and texting me. Then you suddenly stopped replying for what, forty-five minutes? Then you decide to pick your phone back up and text me. What were you doing?"

Levi shrugged, not really wanting to answer. Besides, if he said anything about Eren, Zoe would jump right on that topic and not let go of it until she got every single detail out of him. That was just how she worked. "I just got distracted."

Zoe fixed him with a stern glare and bit off part of her Popsicle. "Sure you did, sure you did. Levi? Get distracted? I think not!" She leaned forwards, "Just tell me already! Don't make me put Todd in your bed while you're sleeping."

Levi couldn't suppress a shudder at the thought of that. Todd was one of Zoe's toads, a huge, wart-covered thing that was constantly covered in what had to be more slime than usual for an amphibian.

Just imagining that _thing_ in his clean, perfectly organized room was enough to make him feel ill. "I'd rather you didn't," Levi muttered, glaring at Zoe. "And so help me God, if you come anywhere near me with that thing I _will_ beat you within an inch of your life before running that thing over."

That comment earned him a stern smack on the forehead. Zoe grinned and leaned her chair back on two legs, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Oh come on, he's not _that_ bad. At least he's stopped trying to eat people's faces!"

Levi shook his head, "No, he is that bad. So filthy compared to your snakes."

Zoe shrugged in response, a helpless, but most certainly amused look on her face. "So," she said, leaning forwards, her dark brown eyes glittering with curiosity behind her glasses. "Are you going to stop dodging the question and answer me?"

_Damn, I thought she wouldn't notice. Either that or forget. Both were good options since they would both lead away from that particular topic._

"Come on Levi, please! You're supposed to tell things like this to your friends! Well, friend in your case, but that's not the point."

Levi glared at her again and shook his head. "You're such an idiot… Are you sure that you're the top of your class?" He received a grin in response, one that stretched across Zoe's face, seemingly from ear to ear. She flipped her hand in a circular motion, telling him to speak. Another gesture also followed, one hand in the air, the fingers slowly curling inwards. _Tell me or I'll strangle you. It's your choice._

That led to another sigh from Levi. It was astounding how demanding Zoe was sometimes. She wouldn't give up, not now. She would keep pestering him until he finally told her, so that he could resist the temptation to stuff her in a closet. "I was talking to a guy I met in the park a little over a week ago."

Zoe leaned forwards, "Both times?" When Levi nodded in confirmation, she leaned even closer, barely on the edge of her seat. Her face was so close to his that the wooden Popsicle stick in her mouth was centimeters from the tip of his nose. Levi jerked backwards in his chair and brought his foot up, pressing it into Zoe's chest.

"Don't come any closer you insane woman," he said, agitated about having his personal space invaded so suddenly. Zoe grinned in response, but sat back down anyways, much to Levi's relief. It was infuriating whenever she broke into his little bubble of personal space. It was amazing he hadn't broken her nose yet because of that little habit.

"So, tell me about him!"

"No."

Zoe clasped her hands together, her face pleading and her eyes watering with crocodile tears. She should have known by now that those didn't work on Levi. "Please Levi?"

"No."

"Come on! You can't leave me in the dark! Was he cute? What's he look like? What's his name? What do you two talk about? He's bound to be taller than you." Zoe's voice was colored with light irritation and curiosity. The last statement was certainly a jibe at his height, or lack there-of.

"We talk about what life is like without irritating people like you."

"Oh shut up! Tell me the truth! I swear to God I will not stop asking until you tell!"

Levi sighed and bit down on the Popsicle stick, sucking off the last of the ice. "Fine, just shut up already." Zoe clammed up immediately and leaned forwards, her brown eyes glued to Levi's silver ones. "His name is Eren Jaeger. He's mute. He has brown hair, green eyes, et cetera. Anything else you'd like to know, you nut job?"

Zoe glared at him, her brown eyes burning with irritation. "Oh my God… Levi. That is not enough details!" Her hands slammed down on his shoulders and she shoved her face into close proximity with his own, her brown eyes wild. She shook him somewhat gently back and forth, the corner of one of her eyes twitching. "Tell… me… more."

"What more could you possibly want to know?"

"Tell me everything!"

"Then let go of me and sit back down."

Zoe removed her hands from his shoulders and sat back down on her chair, staring intently at him. "Now talk."

"Well… he's a hell of a lot less annoying than you for sure."

Zoe jerked back in indignation, a lighthearted scowl on her face as she glared halfheartedly at him. "Hey!"

"It's the truth. He'll be a sophomore this year."

"At Shiganshina?"

"Yes. First time I saw him he had this huge bruise on his face. He said he got into a fight. He liked the photographs I took." She looked excited at that. Perhaps he shouldn't have mentioned that fact.

"You let him see your photos?" A look of surprise cropped up on her face. That was obviously something she hadn't quite been expecting.

"Yes… why, is that a big deal?" It shouldn't have mattered who he showed his pictures too. Admittedly, he rarely showed them to anyone, so to someone like Zoe that probably meant something big. Something he preferred not to know about.

Zoe flipped her hand, motioning for him to continue. Her eyes sparkled with interest and she leaned forwards, eager to hear more. "… Never mind Levi, never mind. Just continue."

"He likes the park and seems to frequent it at night. Admittedly, I've only seen him there twice, but even so."

"Twice?" Zoe leaned even closer, a grin spreading across her face. It was almost creepy how much interest she was taking in this topic.

"Yes. I met him at the park the first time, about a week before the storm. Then I saw him at the park again on the night of the storm. Then I saw him in the coffee shop. The first and last incidents were coincidences."

"Wait… did you arrange the second one?"

"He asked me to come out."

"How?"

"He texted me."

"You gave him your number?!" Shock colored her voice and Levi rolled his eyes. _She's so overdramatic. It's just a damn phone number. It's not like I gave him my life story, honestly._

"Zoe. Stop asking so many questions."

"Fine," Zoe groaned, drawing out the 'I' in her word. "You'll let me meet him right?" Levi shot a glare at her and she clamped her hands over her mouth, eyes scrunching up in amusement.

"No." Her hands fell away and her mouth dropped open at the reply. Levi shrugged and leaned back in the chair, ready to plant a foot in her chest if she lunged at him.

"Oh come on! You're an ass."

"Damn right I am."

* * *

The walk back to his house was better than the one to Zoe's. With the sun setting over the horizon, the heat of the day began to seep away, slowly, but surely. Levi walked slowly, in no rush to return to his home. Unfortunately, it was required to appear at his house for a few hours, just long enough to assure his father that he hadn't tried to run away.

Levi stopped at the sidewalk in front of his house and glanced up at the house, recently painted white, with small trees dotting the yard. Slipping out at night was always an option, but the nights became dull after a while with nothing to do but the same things over and over again.

He sure as hell wouldn't go to a club with Zoe again. She had insisted on talking for three solid hours. Levi couldn't even remember what Zoe had been talking about that night, only that she only shut up for maybe fifteen minutes throughout the entirety of their stay at the club.

Going to the park was tempting, but the likelihood of seeing anyone mildly interesting there was not good. Although Eren did seem to make the park a place he regularly visited. However, he was more likely to encounter muggers and such than he was to actually see Eren or someone he knew there.

Levi sighed with resignation and began to reluctantly trudge through the grass up to his house. He pulled the door open and stepped into the dark living room. The door slammed shut behind him, the bang echoing through the house.

"Levi!" The voice followed the slamming of the door by seconds, loud and exasperated. The voice belonged to his father. "Can't you keep quiet?!" He was sorely tempted to say no, he wouldn't keep the noise down, but that was a waste of breath.

The sound of a door opening and footsteps drew his eyes to the doorway off to his left. His father appeared seconds later, a slightly vexed look on his face. "Can't you keep the noise down? You're not the only one in this house."

Levi stared at his father, silver eyes meeting light blue. Appearance wise they were very similar. Both of them had black hair, pale skin, and slight frames. His father, however, had the height that Levi lacked, and blue eyes that he had failed to inherit. Their appearance was one of the only factors that made them similar.

He let the silence drag on between them for several long seconds, their eyes fixed on each other's. Silence filled the space between them, tension crackling through the air. "I'm perfectly aware of that, _father_," Levi replied, his voice sharper than normal.

"Are you?" his father snapped, his frown deepening and his eyes narrowing. His father wouldn't hit him, not the trusted, loyal businessman who could do no wrong in the eyes of his friends and coworkers. No, his father had to keep up appearances. Besides, hitting Levi would mean that he actually gave a damn.

Levi moved over to the stairs, already starting to feel irritation trickle into his body, tainting his mind. It would have been easy to say something rude on so many levels but Levi managed to refrain from doing so. "Yes, I'm certain," he muttered, his gaze even, his voice icy. "Do you question my capabilities to be aware of things?"

His father threw his hands into the air in response. "Honestly Levi, I don't know what to think of you sometimes. You pay attention to some things and then completely ignore others! Do you even care?"

"Not really," Levi said over his shoulder as he began to climb the stairs, two steps at a time. He could feel his father's cold, blue eyes fixed on his back, but he didn't say a word as Levi disappeared upstairs.

Despite the urge to slam the door to his room, Levi managed to resist it and instead closed and locked it quietly. He dropped onto his bed and picked up his book once more, ready to read and tune the world out.

Twenty minutes later he found himself staring at the same page, rereading the same paragraph, no, rereading the same sentence. Normally, he would have become instantly immersed within the text, reading page after page until he managed to either draw himself away or fell asleep with the book still open, his lights still on.

Now he couldn't seem to focus, didn't want to focus. He was too agitated to focus on reading, too irritated at his father to do anything he normally enjoyed. He wanted to talk to someone, someone who wouldn't rant about the strangest topics to ever exist that is. Levi sighed and shut the book, dropping it back onto the comforter beside him.

He picked up his phone and started spinning it around between his fingers, unsure of what to do. After a few revolutions he turned his phone on. He opened the text messages and selected the third conversation down: **Eren Jaeger**.

**To Eren Jaeger:  
Hey. Do you want to come to the library tomorrow? I've got nothing better to do.  
Sent: 5:15 AM, July 25****th****, 2013**

**Chapter 4: End**

* * *

Ah, I'm sorry it's been so long since the last update! I've been a bit busy with a project I procrastinated too much on and then my lovely editor and co-collaborator, calleyrose, had some trouble obtaining a laptop to edit this with. But it's done now, that's all that matters! I'm predicting another chapter by the 14-15 but that depends on Algebra2 homework and how fast I get chapter 19 for _END GAME_ done.

**wolfdefender01:** Haha it's too bad they ate them X3 Luckily, there's always the RL stuff~  
**Anon (Lolly): **Thank you~ I'm glad you think so~ Don't worry, it shall continue  
**PSyCHeDeLiCxCaRNiVaL:** Ah thank you! I'm glad you like it so much even though there's so little so far. Haha, I certainly will. Especially since someone (coughcalleycough) would kill me otherwise!


	5. Library

**Speak!**

**Chapter 5: Library**

* * *

The library was filled with the quiet drone of muted chatter from the people sitting inside. Mostly high school and college students working on their summer assignments occupied many of the tables. Eren slid between the shelves, hunting for a book or six to occupy him while he waited for Levi to show.

They had agreed to meet at noon. Eren had showed up a half hour early, too bored to stay at home and too eager to meet the raven-haired man to wait. It also helped that his father was home due to a day off work. That made getting out of the house a much more appealing idea.

There hadn't been any beatings since Sunday, but that didn't mean anything. His father was like an active volcano: ready to explode at any time with terrifying force. Eren shuddered and clutched one of the shelves. He didn't want to think about that. Not here. Not now.

Emerald eyes flickered back up to continue scanning the shelves, searching for some books that sounded interesting. He had already acquired a sizeable stack of books: _The Darkest Minds _by Alexandra Bracken, _Insignia _by S.J. Kincaid, _Shadow and Bone _by Leigh Bardugo, _Ender's Game _by Orson Scott Card, and _A Game of Thrones _by George R.R. Martin.

Eren's drive to find most of the books came at Armin's recommendation, all except for the last one. That one was one that Levi had been reading. Eren decided that was enough for the moment and carried the books over to a table by a large window. It faced the park, so he could see the branches swaying in the light summer breeze, along with the people walking in the shadows cast by the canopy overhead.

More people were outside since it was cooler than the day before – about ten degrees cooler in fact. That was probably because of the storm that was rolling in, bringing with it heavy winds, blissfully cool weather compared to the previous days, and rain – sweet, sweet rain. Doubtlessly, it would be accompanied by thunder and lightning, but sometimes that couldn't be helped.

There were some bikers and joggers going up and down the sidewalks. Numerous cars rolled by, some packed with teenagers, others with a person or two in business suits. Eren set his books down, pulled his phone from his pocket to set it on the table, and tugged the chair next to the window out.

It was a relatively secluded table. There were bookshelves in front of him and behind, closing him off from the other occupants of the maze-like library. Few people even bothered to come over to the autobiography section. Well, that was what Armin had told him, but Eren took his friend's word on the matter.

Eren slid _A Game of Thrones _off the stack and peered at the back. It sounded intriguing with its talk of summers that lasted years, winters that lasted lifetimes, and mythical creatures appearing once more. Despite that, it didn't seem like a book he would have picked up if he hadn't had some incentive. The book provided some material to talk about with Levi.

He opened the book to the prologue and started to read. Five minutes passed, ten, before he realized he hadn't actually read anything aside from the first sentence several times before he had ended up staring blankly at the page.

The book closed with a smack and was set on the stack with a thump. Eren sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, tugging at the ends, before he leaned over. He pressed his head against the wall and slowly, gently, beat his head against the wall several times.

_Why can't I fall into books like I can with music? _Music was easy. All it took was one line of music, maybe two, before it ensnared him with its beauty. Music could suck him in and never spit him back out if he wasn't careful.

It didn't matter if he felt like he had three hurricanes worth of thoughts bouncing around inside his skull once he picked up that violin or touched the piano. Doing that made everything melt away. That, unfortunately, was _not_ the case with books.

Emerald eyes slid over to look out the window, seeking a distraction. It wasn't unusual for Eren to watch people walk by, so carefree in their own little worlds. He usually did that when he was feeling particularly bitter and lonely.

That was usually after his father had decided to beat Eren as if he was a punching bag. That or his father believed that he was one of those hunks of meat that Sylvester Stallone had beaten up in that one boxing move – the one Eren couldn't remember the name of. Eren started to beat his head against the wall again, a little harder this time.

_Stop thinking about Dad, you idiot. That's the whole reason you left the house in the first place. Okay, not the whole reason. Three-fourths. Half. One-fourth. One-eighth…? Oh, fuck it._

He stopped beating his head for a few moments and glanced outside again. Emerald eyes scanned the crowds, looking for a particular man with pitch-black hair and silver eyes. Eren watched for several minutes, the faces of the people instantly forgotten once he looked at them and realized they weren't Levi.

Each person brought a vague sense of disappointment. Upon realizing that, Eren started to beat his head against the wall again, clamping his eyes shut as he did so. The steady thump-thump-thump of his head against the plaster of the interior mixed with the almost-but-not-quite silence of the library, still filled with the muted murmur of voices.

"I didn't realize you were a masochist, beating your head like that." Emerald eyes flew open and he looked to the left. Levi stood there, his face bored. He was wearing a loose green T-shirt with a black bird on it, black skinny jeans, and white tennis shoes. There was a drawstring bag over his shoulder. On top of that, he had black headphones around his neck, a white hat on, his glasses, and – to Eren's surprise – black stud earrings.

_… Hot. _He had to resist the strong urge to either beat his head again or cover his face in case he was blushing. Eren raised a hand in greeting, an idiotic smile creeping onto his face. "So shall I wait for a response on the masochist thing or should I assume I'm right?" Levi continued as he walked over and pulled the chair in front of Eren out from underneath the table. Eren flushed and picked his phone up, typing frantically.

**I'm not a masochist -_- ass… I was just thinking about something stupid.**

Levi nodded with a blank face. It didn't appear to be bored anymore, but with that stoic mask of his, Eren wasn't certain. "I'm guessing you think about stupid stuff a lot." Eren stuck his middle finger up.

The black-haired man held his hands up, "You're the one that asked to meet right before a storm if I remember correctly. If that doesn't spell crazy or stupid, I don't know _what_ does." Eren sighed and rubbed his temples, but he couldn't deny the smile that was creeping onto his face.

**Yet you're the one who agreed… Who's the stupid one now?**

"… Shut up." Eren's shoulders shook with barley-suppressed laughter. It was too bad they were in a library. "It was on a whim," Levi muttered, silver eyes glaring at Eren. He didn't look angry, just irritated that Eren had pointed such a thing out.

**I can't help that your argument was flawed!**

"Yeah," Levi scoffed, "That's the only thing about me that _is_ flawed."

**Uh huh, sure… you ever heard of a little thing called hubris? How about humility?**

The raven-haired man cast his silver eyes skyward. "Course I have. I'm not an uneducated brat. Now why would I believe in humility? Such things are useless when you can flout your talents. The fewer you've got, the more you show off. Well, usually." Levi shrugged helplessly, and tapped the top of the table. "Few people show any shreds of humility, let alone humanity, in this day and age."

**That's deep. You gonna go philosophical on me?**

The message was accompanied with a waggle of Eren's eyebrows and an amused smirk. Levi narrowed his eyes mockingly and reached across the table, hand outstretched and in a loose fist. Eren saw Levi's hand draw closer. Everything seemed to fade and merge, memories mixing with the present.

It wasn't Levi's hand, not anymore. His father's hand came towards his head, hand clenched tight. Adrenaline tore through his veins, bringing one question: fight or flight? _No. _A bolt of fear shot through him and strangled noise came from his throat, a mixture between a groan and a whimper that never quite made it past his lips.

The chair flew backwards as he dove beneath the table, too panicked to think straight. He huddled beneath the table: emerald eyes clamped shut, heart pounding in his chest, his breaths coming in short, rapid gasps. He dug his fingers into his chest, trying to beat the fear away so he could calm down.

_Not him not him not him not him. Levi is _not _Dad! _The thoughts only helped a little. He knew he was acting as if he was crazy, he knew it, but the movements were so similar, so sudden, that he had reacted on instinct. "Eren, are you alright?"

He straightened up at the voice. His head slammed into the bottom of the table with a solid thunk. "Damn… it…" he groaned as he slumped back down onto his knees, clutching his now-aching skull. His voice was a rasp, hoarse and scratchy from both disuse and from a distinct lack of development.

Talking only brought a fresh wave pain searing through his throat and chest, and _damn _did it burn. It felt like someone had poured gasoline down his throat and into his lungs before lighting a match and shoving that down his throat. That was the closest approximation he could get to how it felt now.

Eren drew in a shuddering breath and one of his hands curled around his throat. His eyes were still clenched shut and damp with tears, but he bit them back. _I can't cry. Not here._ It took Eren a few moments before he glanced up, emerald eyes slowly opening. Levi crouched in front of him, silver eyes trained on him, concern showing in those luminous depths.

Just seeing that look, the mask of concern on Levi's normally stoic face, sent a jolt through his body. It might have been happiness. "Eren…" Levi said slowly, one eyebrow arching upwards. "Are you alright? Are you having a panic attack or something?"

_Oh yeah… I'm fucked. _Eren pointed up and Levi blinked at him, confusion flickering onto his face before understanding replaced it. Levi rose slightly and Eren heard the scrape of his nails as he grabbed Eren's phone and ducked back down. The black-haired man held it out for him.

Eren took it by the end, pinching it between two fingers. Not exactly the best way to grab something, but he wasn't exactly in the mood for touching, especially since he was entertaining the idea of making a mad dash for either the bathrooms or the exit. Both sounded like very appealing options. The window, while closer, wouldn't exactly make a safe exit, after all. He typed out a message, his hands trembling enough that it was hard to type.

**I'm fine. You just surprised me.**

"Uh huh… I'll take your word on it. How's your head?" Levi tapped his skull for emphasis. Eren couldn't help but roll his eyes at that.

**I'm fine seriously. It's not like I'm brain damaged or something from that -_- just a little bump on the head.**

"You sure about that? That was a pretty solid thump. You must have a thicker skull than I thought." If Eren hadn't been watching, he would have missed the miniscule smirk that crossed Levi's face for maybe a second before it disappeared. "Your voice… I thought you said it hurt."

**It does. That doesn't mean I can't talk -.-**

"Oh…" Levi murmured, shifting his weight a bit. "How is it feeling right now?"

**Like someone set my throat on fire -_-**

"Yeah, like you've ever had someone set a fire inside your throat," Levi murmured, silver eyes rolling once more. "Well…" the black-haired man continued. He glanced down at the floor, making quite the study of it before he looked back up at Eren.

"If it's any consolation, there's a nice ice cream shop down the street. They make some pretty decent stuff. That might help a bit. Or not. I don't know." Eren grinned and raised an eyebrow when he showed Levi his next message.

**Come with me?**

The black-haired man looked at the message. Silver eyes flickered up to peer at Eren. They moved back down to look back at the message. They came back up to stare at Eren one last time. Levi sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "You're a brat, you know that right? Fine… I'll come. Only to make up for scaring you." Eren grinned and took one last deep, calming breath before he emerged from beneath the table.

**Give me a moment to check these out.**

Levi glanced at the stack of books that had been sitting, forgotten, beside Eren. "Sure, whatever. You didn't strike me as a _Game of Thrones _type of person." Eren shrugged and typed out another message before he picked the books up and pulled his satchel back over his shoulder.

**I'm allowed to read aren't I? Sides it looked interesting.**

That got Levi to nod in agreement. "It certainly is. Even more so if you like death, deception, or sex. Although I wouldn't advise watching the show around others." Eren stared at Levi and blinked a few times.

The raven-haired man met his gaze, his silver eyes dead serious. "No joke. Lots of nudity. Lots of sex. Tons of violence. You'll love it." Eren blanched at the last part, but Levi didn't seem to notice, his eyes fixed outside the window for a moment before he turned and followed Eren.

A straight walk to the checkout counter was impossible. Not because of the lack of straight paths towards the counter, although that was part of the reason why, but because Levi did a little book searching of his own.

Amongst the books that the raven-haired man selected were _The Perks of Being a Wallflower _by Stephan Chbosky, _The Book Thief _by Markus Zusak, _The Fault in Our Stars _by John Green, _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo _by Stieg Larsson, and _Memoirs of a Geisha _by Arthur Golden. "My summer reading assignments," Levi explained when he saw Eren's questioning look.

The raven-haired man even took the liberty of adding more books to the growing stack in Eren's arms: _The Lovely Bones _by Alice Sebold, _Pride and Prejudice _by Jane Austen, and even _The Tempest _by none other than Shakespeare.

They walked through the maze of bookshelves, stopping occasionally to glance at more books. Some were added to their stacks, some were put back in their places. Eren's arms started to ache after a while. They turned down into another row and Eren heaved his books onto a shelf to give his arms a rest and glanced around.

They were in the music section. Levi had set his own books down in favor of scanning the ones in the music section. Eren typed out another message and stepped across the small isle so he could tap Levi on the shoulder lightly.

**Do you play an instrument?**

Levi nodded and turned back to the shelves, looking but not touching unless one seemed to catch his interest. "Yeah…" he murmured absently as he tapped out and extracted it from the shelf. "I play the piano." The silver-eyed man opened the book and glanced inside, his eyes skimming over the pages and notes. He missed it when Eren's eyes brightened and a grin spread across his face at that. The chestnut-haired man set his phone on the pages of Levi's selected book, another message on display.

**I play the violin.**

That brought Levi's gaze up from the book, a mixture of slight intrigue and amusement in those silver depths. "Do you now? Hm… how good are you?"

**Pretty good. I've placed in several competitions. Won in two.**

Levi nodded, the corners of his mouth twitched upwards ever so slightly. "That's good…" he murmured as he closed the book with a snap and added it to his stack. "It's nice to find someone else who plays an instrument."

He pulled another book from the shelf and flipped it open halfway to examine it some. That was closed with another snap after only a few seconds of glancing. Levi slid it back into its place before he continued, silver eyes darting up to focus on Eren, his gaze intense. "It's so dull playing alone. Perhaps we could play a duet sometime."

Eren grinned and nodded vigorously in agreement. Levi straightened, coming just above Eren's shoulder. "Good… that's good. I've been aching to play a duet for a while… haven't found any idiot suitable. Perhaps you might fit the bill." Silver eyes fixed onto Eren's face, piercing and intense. Levi took a step closer, a small one, but closer nevertheless.

"A duet sounds fun. You like Beethoven? Maybe you like Mozart... What about Wagner? Chopin? Haydn? Debussy? Vivaldi? Tchaikovsky? You seem like a Tchaikovsky fan…" His voice was soft and light and oh so captivating. Levi's face had lost all the normal hard angles and the stoic mask had slipped a little.

Eren could see a glimmer of something, excitement maybe, in his eyes as he rattled off name after name of classical music composers. Oh, Eren would have killed to have been able to let his voice mix with Levi's. Eren typed out another message and passed it to Levi.

**Yeah, I'm a Tchaikovsky fan~**

A smile flickered onto Levi's lips. It disappeared almost instantly, but seeing it sent a happy buzz through Eren's chest anyways. He knew he was grinning like an idiot. He didn't care. "What's your favorite composition by him?" Eren bent his head to type and caught the sound of running feet, swift and rhythmic.

He glanced over his shoulder and his mouth dropped in surprise. Armin was running towards him, a huge grin on his face. The blonde didn't call out. That would have been too loud in the library. Armin took a few more steps forwards.

His foot caught in the carpet. There was a small, girlish shriek, and Armin flew forwards, hands outstretched. One caught the bookshelf. One slammed square into Eren's back and knocked him forwards. Eren's mouth opened in surprise as he stumbled, tilted forwards, and lost his balance. The floor rushed up to greet him. It stopped.

Two hands caught him by the shoulders and pulled him closer, wrapping protectively around him as Levi pressed Eren against his chest. His mind was slow to process, but his body froze, going rigid instantly on contact. He could have made an excellent plank if the need had cropped up.

Eren stared over Levi's shoulder, his face still a mask of surprise, his arms still outstretched. Soft black hair tickled his cheek, smelling faintly of lavender. With Levi's chest pressed against his, Eren could feel the muscles behind the deceptively thin stature. He could feel heat radiating off Levi's chest, feel the pulse of the shorter man's heart.

_Feels nice…_ He thought absently.Heat flooded Eren's cheeks and his pulse skyrocketed. He was certain that Levi could feel his heart hammering against his ribcage. It took a few seconds, but Eren managed to get his limbs cooperating again and pulled away, jerking his arms back to his side.

Eren took one step back, two, and kept his gaze fixed on the ground. His face burned with embarrassment. He wasn't sure if he wanted to thank Armin or murder him. Eren dared a glance up at Levi's face. The raven-haired man looked at him, his face still impassive, although his eyes were a little wide. Was that a little smile there on Levi's face? Eren couldn't tell.

Armin jumped up and moved over to Eren's side, gripping his shoulder tightly. Eren flinched at the touch but held still, even though he itched to remove Armin's hand. The blonde's face was pale and his eyes were wide. "Oh my God, Eren, I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so sorry! I didn't mean to, I swear!" Armin spoke quickly, the words blurring together.

Eren smiled, set his phone on his stack of books, and started to sign to his friend, shaking his head all the while. _"It's alright. Calm down. It's not like you tripping started World War III._" Armin smiled sheepishly and put his hand to his head, clearly embarrassed. Eren glanced at Levi again. The silver-eyed man stared at the two of them, eyebrows raised and questions lurking in his eyes. He was probably wondering what Eren was doing.

"I know, I know," Armin said, clapping his hands to his reddening cheeks. "Still, that was embarrassing!" The blonde sighed and glanced over at Levi. Five seconds passed, then ten. Armin's eyes brightened and his hands fell away from his face, revealing a broad grin. Eren wasn't sure he liked the look in Armin's eyes. There was a devious spark in his eyes, along with a glimmer of realization. "Eren, is this Levi?"

Levi glanced at Eren, confusion showing in his silvery eyes. "Yes… that's my name…" He looked at Armin, his voice a little cautious, but he didn't seem like he was irritated at Armin's question.

"Oh, right," Armin said cheerily. "I forgot, he probably hasn't mentioned me. My name's Armin Arlert! I'm an old family friend of his. It's nice to meet you. Mikasa and I have heard a _lot _about you."

The blonde stuck his hand out, his smile somehow even broader than before. Blood rushed to Eren's face, staining his cheeks red. Levi glanced at Eren again and a small, amused smirk flickered onto his face. The black-haired man took Armin's hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you too, Armin."

_Oh, Armin, please don't say anything embarrassing. Please, please, _please _don't. _The thought bounced around in Eren's head. He could only hope that Armin took a hint from the desperate look in his emerald eyes.

"So aside from getting books, what are you two doing here?"

"Talking," Levi said with a shrug. He gave no signs that he would elaborate on the matter.

Eren tapped Armin to catch his attention so he could sign to him. _"We were about to check out our books and get something to eat."_

Armin's eyebrows shot upwards and he started signing back. Such were the benefits of having a friend that knew American Sign Language. _"Am I interrupting a date?"_

Eren ground the heel of his palm into his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair. That was, hands down, _the_ _most_ embarrassing question Armin could have asked. Ever. Especially right now. Eren could only thank God that Armin asked him in a nonverbal way. Now he just had to hope Levi didn't know ASL.

He punched Armin in the shoulder – gently of course, but he punched him nevertheless. That didn't stop his face from turning redder than before. _"Not a date, you little sneak. He just asked me to come to the library. Stop jumping to conclusions!"_

_"Fine, fine,"_ Armin signed and then turned to Levi. "So… I'll just get my books and leave you guys to it. Bye! "Blue eyes met his for a few moments. He could see the message inside Armin's eyes: _You're telling me everything later. _Armin whirled around and walked away with a jaunty wave.

Eren watched him walk away, grab his books from his shelf, and turn the corner, disappearing from their sight. He turned back to face Levi, a small smile on his face. "Your friend seems very… _energetic_." Eren shrugged and a helpless look flashed up across his face. Levi glanced back at the shelves and pulled a book out. He inspected it for a moment and set it onto his stack of books. Silver eyes flickered back up to Eren's face. "You ready to go?"

* * *

With their books in their bags, Eren and Levi walked down the streets. It was a little warmer and muggier outside than it had been before, but still cool. Dark gray clouds were rolling in on the eastern horizon. The storm would hit within a day, maybe two.

There were less people on the streets that before, probably heading back to work, but some still roamed the streets. They walked side by side, no words passing between them. Eren would have killed to be able to talk to Levi. There was nothing worse than walking alongside a cute guy like Levi and not being able to say something witty at any moment.

_Ugh, I really should just stop thinking about stuff like that already. Reason number one: it's doubtful he's gay. Reason number two: Dad. _Eren ran his fingers through his hair as they turned right.

A cluster of chattering, giggling girls that looked to be around their age walked past. Eren shrank a little as the girls openly ogled at the two of them like they were something on display. The giggles didn't cease as they passed each other. Thankfully, the girls didn't attempt to speak with them. Levi didn't spare them a glance. That made Eren smile a bit.

Levi slowed his pace halfway down the street and turned to the right, where a little ice cream parlor had been crammed between a hair salon Eren had never heard of and a sporting goods store. The raven-haired man pulled the door open and glanced at Eren, "Come on." He ushered Eren into the store in front of him.

The soft tinkle of bells and a rush of cold air greeted them. The floors were made up of large, light orange tiles with smaller black tiles where four orange tiles would have met. Someone must have thought regular murals were boring because the walls had been splattered with over a dozen colors of pair.

Tables large enough to seat four were scattered around the front and back half, while tables for two's and three's lines the walls. There was a small line leading up to the light gray counter. Most of it was made up of students, ranging from middle scholars to college students. Levi turned his head up towards Eren's. "What do you want?"

**Just vanilla is good.**

Levi nodded absently, "It's always good to stick with the classics." Eren pulled the flap of his bag back, going for his wallet. He was glad he had thought to bring it, just in case the need for money had cropped up. "Oh, don't worry about paying," Levi said, doubtlessly guessing about what Eren was going for.

The black-haired man faced forwards again, his face impassive. "It's the least I can do for scaring the shit out of you," he muttered quietly. Eren smiled and shook his head slightly. Despite the tough demeanor Levi put up, he was turning out to be quite the softie. They reached the counter after a few minutes and Levi slapped a couple of somewhat crinkled bills down. The boy behind the counter passed them a cup and a spoon each: strawberry for Levi and vanilla for Eren.

They went to the back of the shop and sat down, Eren with his back to the wall. It was a good vantage point to observe the rest of the shop. Just on the off chance his father somehow knew where he was. His father would certainly be shocked to see him with another male, especially one he didn't know. He was bad enough around Armin. If he was called faggot for simply not bringing a girl aside from Mikasa home, Eren didn't want to know what his father would do if he found out his son was gay.

Eren dragged his gaze – and his thoughts – back to Levi. The raven-haired man dabbed at his mouth, bored but attentive. He wouldn't have looked out of place if he had been sitting with the Queen of England.

"So," Levi said, his silver gaze flickering up to Eren's. "Do you tend to make strangers the topic of discussion with your friends?" Eren stuck his tongue out. It was a childish gesture, but it was better than flipping Levi off, even though that option was tempting him ever so slightly.

He slapped his phone down onto the table, typed a quick message, and slid it across. As Levi read, Eren started on his ice cream. The sweet taste slapped a grin on his face. Levi hadn't been lying when he'd said the shop was good.

**No they just tend to pry. And I'd dare you say you stopped being a stranger after the third meeting.**

"That's in the job description of a friend unfortunately. God knows I would have strangled Zoe otherwise." A sigh accompanied the words, heavy and irritated when he reached the part concerning 'Zoe.'

Eren raised an eyebrow at Levi, not really wanting to start a new line of text. Was Zoe a friend? A sibling perhaps? Hopefully she wasn't a girlfriend. "Zoe's a friend, although, she _is_ more of a nuisance most of the time. It's amazing how irritating one person can be. I'm surprised I haven't throttled her yet." Friend, Zoe was a friend. That was good.

**That bad huh?**

"You have no idea," Levi muttered. He jabbed his spoon in Eren's direction. The chestnut-haired man couldn't help but flinch at the sudden gestures in his direction. If Levi noticed, he didn't comment on it. "She insists upon digging into every personal aspect of my life. So damn irritating…" Eren grinned and flicked his phone around so Levi could see.

**Maybe that means she likes you XD**

Silver eyes rolled back, impossibly far. Levi shook his spoon back and forth. "If it's human, it's not for Zoe." A smirk flickered onto Levi's face, lightening the solid, stoic mask that was a constant for him. "I'm convinced she's either going to be one of those crazy, old cat ladies, or she's going to get eaten by one of the things she's around. Not quite sure which I prefer, to be honest."

Another grin shot across Eren's face and he chuckled a bit. "Ever read any H.P. Lovecraft?" Eren shook his head. Levi heaved a small, heavy sigh, but the smirk was still on his face, so he must have been joking. That's what Eren decided to assume anyways.

"What a tragedy. They should include his writings in the public system. Honestly, who wouldn't want to hear about Cthulhu?" Eren blinked. He had no idea what a "kuthulu" was. "Cthulhu… imagine a giant human with an octopus for a head and dragon wings. Very lovely. You should look him up sometime."

**Sound… interesting**

Levi shook his head again when he read Eren's message. "Ah, but the occult is a wonderful thing! Sometimes. It depends on which aspects you're looking at: virgin sacrifices and the other nine yards or chatting with the dead." The ebony-haired man shrugged nonchalantly.

His fingers started to tap absently at the table, a rhythm taking form within a few moments. Eren watched the fingers, enraptured by the slim, white appendages as they danced on the tabletop. _I want to know what those fingers can do on a piano._

He slid his phone across the table. Levi's rhythm faltered a bit as he read, but his fingers continued to tap away to an unfamiliar rhythm.

The rhythm started with his little finger, which stayed down for a second before the ring and middle finger hit the table with their own little thump close together. There was another pause, this one a little longer, and then Levi's middle finger tapped the table. Another paused followed before his ring, middle, and pointer finger hit the table one after the other. The pattern started again after a slight pause. Eren did his best to commit it to memory.

**So you play the piano and you're a photographer. What, are you going to be a master painter next? How about a potter? Or perhaps you'll be a magician.**

"Okay," Levi said, holding one hand up and sliding the phone back with his other. "I might be good at two things, but those are the only things I _want _to be good at." He emphasized his point by jabbing at the table with the hand that had been tapping out rhythms. Eren bit down on his spoon and tried not to flinch at the sudden gesture. He wasn't sure if that had actually been successful or not.

Levi shrugged and set his chin on the palm of his hand, his fingers curled just below pale lips. "Besides, I'm useless when it comes to drawing and painting."

** What do you mean by that? And useless? It's hard to imagine you being useless.**

Levi scoffed, "My father would disagree on that last part. As for what I meant…" He cocked his head to the side and stared at the other occupants of the shop. Silence fell back between them.

Eren glanced to his left. The occupants of the shop had changed while he and Levi had been talking. Despite his strategic seat selecting, he had still neglected to pay attention, to be wary. He shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if his father had walked in. A pleasant afternoon would have quickly turned to Hell-on-Earth.

Emerald eyes returned to Levi when the other man's fingers started to tap on the table again. Levi was still looking away, his forehead scrunched in thought. An exasperated sigh escaped his lips and silver eyes flicked back up to meet Eren's. "My mother taught me how to play the piano when I was young." He turned so that they were face-to-face. "It's one of the few things left that I have of her."

_Oh… shit. _Eren's face paled. Hopefully he hadn't managed to irritate Levi with that question.

"Oh, don't look like you've just accidentally run a person over," Levi chided, swatting at Eren's hand. "It's nothing you could have stopped, so what does it matter?" Unable to formulate a response to that, Eren shrugged and didn't type another message. "Exactly," Levi said.

Comfortable silence wrapped around them for the remainder of the stay in the shop. They left after a few minutes and stopped just outside, Eren moving to the right, Levi to the left. "That was a nice talk. Maybe we can meet up again sometime." Levi flashed him a wry smile. "Just try to aim for a time when it's both light and sunny out."

**Chapter 5: End**

* * *

... There's really no excuse that I can provide for such a late update. I am sosososososo sorry. I just couldn't think of what to write for _Speak!_ Remind me to murder writer's block the next chance I get. Alright, I'll try to update a little more consistently, but with exams coming up, that might be a bit tricky. You certainly won't go twenty+ fucking days without an update though. Thank you for being patient. Have a nice night/morning/day/life/existence.

**p0l-anka: **All in good time, all in good time.


	6. Devils

**Speak!**

**Chapter 6: Devils**

* * *

**From Armin Arlert: **  
**Heeeey! How'd it go? : 3  
Received: 7:01 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Why are you up so early? Its summer... meant for sleeping in, not waking up at 7 in the freaking morning. I need coffee ASAP... How'd what go?  
Sent: 7:14 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Sorry! I didn't think you'd wake up. Usually you sleep like you're on anesthetic or something. You're date of course XD  
Received: 7:17 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
... I can't even argue about that T.T It wasn't a date!  
Sent: 7:20 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Exactly! Oh, you wish it was~ XD you're blushing, aren't you?  
Received: 7:23 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Armin...  
Sent: 7:24 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
See, you can't even deny it! Seriously, tell me. You can get your coffee while I read.  
Received: 7:26 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
-_- It was pretty good  
Sent: 7:28 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
... Am I going to have to drag you out of your house so I can get every detail?  
Received: 7:30 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
I dunno. I'm still waiting on my coffee  
Sent: 7:35 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Siiiiiiigh. Alright, get your coffee and get dressed. Meet me at the park in an hour. I've gotta take a shower. C ya there!  
Received: 7:38 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
... Dammit. Fine, I'll be there. Don't drown.  
Sent: 7:40, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Yay! And I'd have to either be an idiot or drunk as hell to drown in a shower. Although that changes if someone was trying to murder one. That would complicate the whole I-won't-drown bit.  
Received: 7:44 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Oh go take your shower already  
Sent: 7:45 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Okaaaaay I'm going!  
Received 7:47 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**From Armin Arlert:  
Seriously though, I would have to have passed out in the shower with my head at just the right angle to drown on my own. The human body won't allow you to drown yourself. It's one of those psychological things, like how we can technically bit through our fingers, but a subconscious part of our brain prevents that!  
Received: 7:52 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

**To Armin Arlert:  
Armin. SHOWER NOW  
Sent: 7:54 AM, July 26****th****, 2013**

* * *

Zoe grinned at Levi, her brown eyes glittering with excitement as she stared at him. She stretched out on his bed on her stomach, her legs in the air over her back and her chin cupped between her palms. "Soooo," she said, "What happened yesterday? I mean, you didn't answer me _at all. _Did you meet up with Eren?"

Levi glanced at Zoe, already tempted to smother her. _ I should have known she'd start talking about this. Fuck, I knew it from the beginning. I should have just refused to let her in. Hell, I shouldn't have even opened the door. _"Maybe," he muttered, pointedly turning away from Zoe. Pale fingers tapped out a rhythm on the back of one of his library books.

"Ah, you're tapping! You _are _hiding something!" Zoe accused. Doubtlessly, there was a massive grin on her face.

_Dammit… stupid habit._"So? Am I not allowed to see people?"

"I knew it!" she sang. Fabric shifting and rubbing alerted Levi to her movements. Either she was shifting on his bed or she was preparing to tackle him and wrap him in a bear hug. He truly hoped it was the former of the two. Thankfully, no arms were thrown around his neck or chest. She had just been shifting then. "You're so defensive too! Ah, Levi, sometimes you are too cute!"

"Zoe, if your voice got any higher you'd make an excellent tea kettle."

"Oh shut up," she laughed.

Levi turned in his chair again and stared at Zoe, who stared back, her face twisted. Her warm, brown eyes were wide, her mouth pulled up into a strange mixture of a grimace and a snarl while her eyebrows were scrunched. She looked like an idiot. "I hope your face freezes like that."

Zoe's face returned to normal and she stuck her tongue out. It was a childish gesture, but Zoe was practically the epitome of childish things. "What did you two do? Did you just talk? Or perhaps you made a move?"

Silver eyes narrowed at her questions, especially the last one. _What does she think I am – a pervert_? "Come on, please Levi! Tell me!" Levi sighed and pressed his back against the edge of his desk. _I could tell her. I could also just kick her out. Wait... no. then she'd just spam my phone with texts and calls till I talk. Dammit all to hell. _"We went to the library."

"Aaaand?" she pressed.

"We talked a bit. I managed to scare the shit out of him. He hit his head."

That was the part that confused him the most. It had been on his mind constantly since they had parted ways. The sheer terror in Eren's eyes had been startling. All he had done was go to rap him on the head. His reaction had been confusing then and still was now. _Why would he react like that? Is someone hurting him? Is he one of those people who have a fear of being touched? Is it some mental disorder? Or perhaps he was being serious about being startled… Oh hell, I don't fucking know._

"Levi! How many times do I have to tell you to stop scaring other people?!"

"I just went to hit him in the head! I wasn't even going to hit him that hard!"

"That still counts!" Zoe smashed her face into Levi's bed and shook her head. "You're an idiot," she muttered, her voice muffled. She lifted her head after a few moments and set her chin on one hand, motioning for Levi to continue speaking with her other hand.

"I saw his friend. Armin. He's blonde. A little taller than me."

"Well, it's not exactly hard to be taller than you." Levi scowled and Zoe rushed on, her excited blather filling his room. "That's Armin Arlert! I've seen him around at school. He's really smart – top of his class last year. What happened after that?"

Levi shrugged, "Armin ran up and tripped. He knocked Eren into me." Zoe let out a little squeak of excitement there, but she was silenced by another irritated glare. "Is my life a sitcom or some shit to you? Armin and I talked a little."

"Details Levi, I need details. Every. Single. Damn. Detail."

Levi sighed and dug one finger into his temple, desperately trying to resist the urge to throw something at the eccentric brunette woman. "We went to an ice cream shop. Are you happy now, wench?"

Zoe's eyes snapped open and her brown eyes fixed on Levi, staring at him hard. She was silent for several long, tense moments. With Zoe, silence was rarely a good thing. "Was this a date?"

Levi smashed his palm into his forehead and sighed. It was amazing he hadn't strangled Zoe yet, it really was. "No, Zoe, it was not a _date_." _I wouldn't have minded if it had been._"We were simply meeting up. I only took him there to make up for scaring him. Dumbass... you're always jumping to conclusions."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Now, did anything else happen?"

Silver-gray eyes rolled again, so far back that Levi lost sight of his room for a moment. "Well… he and Armin were gesturing to each other at one point. Mutes use sign language, right?"

Zoe tapped the side of her face with a finger, a thoughtful expression replacing her usual excited one. "Yes… those who are deaf and mute tend to communicate through sign language. We use American Sign Language – ASL. They offer it as a language course at school. Why?"

"No reason. I just wanted to know."

The brown-haired woman jerked her shoulders in a shrug and slid off Levi's bed. "Whatever you say, Levi darling!" she sang, dancing around his room.

Levi rolled his eyes and watched her move over to the door, where she had left her shoes. "Where are you going?"

Zoe glanced at Levi. "Grab your shoes. We're going out. We'll continue this talk as we go."

"Go where?" Levi growled, irritation coloring his voice and flashing across his face.

"We're going to the park of course! You need to get out of your house more! Plus we might see people who'll be going to school in the fall. I mean, you've met me of course, and you've talked to Irvin a few times, but that's it!"

"… Zoe," Levi groaned, burying his face into the crook of his elbow. "I don't want to go out. It's supposed to fucking rain today."

"And your point is…?" She sounded so confused about Levi's reluctance to go out. Then again, this was the woman who tended to venture out in the middle of brutal thunderstorms all in hopes of finding some animal or something. She truly was insane.

"I'm going to strangle you."

"No you won't! Not if you know what's good for you."

"I hate you."

"Good. I'd be questioning your sanity if you suddenly said you loved me."

"I don't care."

Zoe continued chattering on. Either she hadn't heard Levi or she was just ignoring him. That tended to be a tossup with Zoe in that regard. "Or I'd have to test and see if you had been abducted by aliens, copied, and had one of them implanted into your clone's body so that they could come and-"

"And I _still_ don't care!"

* * *

Armin cut in front of Eren, started walking backwards, his blue eyes wide, and filled with interest, his hands behind his back, and an unopened umbrella clutched in one hand. One could only hope that the blue-eyed man didn't trip, although that was very likely. It wasn't like the paths in the park were level.

"Eren, are you _positive _that wasn't a date? I mean, it kind of looked like one from where I was. Plus, he took you out to that shop! Speaking of which, you were sooo not kidding about Levi being hot. He's got that dark and dangerous thing going for him."

Eren buried his face into his hands, attempting to conceal a blush that was all-too visible for his liking. _Why, oh why did I tell _Armin _about this? Oh right, because Mikasa has zero experience with relationships and Armin provides input – lots of it._

"Have you guys decided when you're going to meet up again?" Eren shook his head. Armin shrugged and dropped back to Eren's side. "You really should," Armin said. "I think he likes you."

Eren's head whipped around and he stared at Armin, emerald eyes wide. The blush, which had been steadily leaking out of his cheeks, rushed back as heat flooded his face. If Eren could talk, he would have been stuttering in protest and embarrassment.

"Personally," Armin continued with a teasing expression on his face, "I think it was a good thing I tripped. If I hadn't known it, I would have said he was hugging you! You two looked so adorable! Well, you looked like you were about to pass out and he looked startled, but that's understandable. Maybe you should let me do that again."

Eren waved his hands frantically, eyes stretching as wide as they could go. Armin smirked and waggled his eyebrows. _Evil... Armin is fucking evil._

"I don't think I've ever seen you that red either! You kind of looked like a tomato there for a while." Eren blanched. Had it been that obvious? Had Levi noticed? "Oh, Eren, I was kidding! It wasn't that bad! More like you started out pink and then you were red for a bit. It could have passed for sunburn, I promise."

Eren frowned and shook his head. _"Not funny Armin," _he signed.

Armin grinned, "Oh yes, it was. It was so cute. How he caught you, your faces, all of it was perfect." A serious look fell across the blonde man's face and he grabbed Eren's shoulder, jerking him to a stop. The blonde man crossed his arms and stared at Eren, tapping his elbow with his free hand as bright blue eyes stared. "You really like him, don't you?"

Eren sighed and pressed his fingers to his forehead. He nodded after a few moments and glanced back up at Armin. The blue-eyed man nodded. No surprise showed on his face. He must have known the whole time. Armin could be absurdly perceptive about people when he wanted to. "I figured you did. You don't exactly make friends easy. I think this is a record for you, especially after your mom... after your accident. He must have something special to him."

Armin glanced up at the green canopy overhead, spots of gray visible through the gaps in the leaves and branches. "Should I tell Mikasa not to kill him? Remember when I had a crush on Annie? Yeah, let's not repeat _that_." Eren blanched at the mention of that. Mikasa, despite all her wonderful qualities, had the tendency to be ever so slightly overprotective over the both of them. That had doubled after the incident six years ago. A grin broke out on Armin's face, all traces of seriousness dissipating like water on a blisteringly hot day.

ren smiled and shook his head slowly. Armin was so erratic sometimes. They started walking again, moving idly through the park. There were less people out than usual. That was mainly due to the storm system. Meteorologists were predicting rain at around nine, but one could never know for sure.

Eren glanced up at the sky, covered with thick, gray clouds that stretched from horizon to horizon. A gust of wind buffeted the pair, throwing their hair all about and in their eyes. Leaves rustled overhead and some of the older, more unstable branches creaked quietly. Eren zipped his green jacket up, not eager to be that one idiot to catch a cold or some other ailment in the middle of summer.

"Hey, Eren," Armin murmured, his voice just audible over the rustle of leaves.

"Hm?" the chestnut-haired man hummed, glancing up at Armin.

His blonde friend stared forwards, blue eyes wide and mouth agape. "Is that Levi?"

Eren's head snapped up and he spotted two people walking towards them, their heads bent in discussion. One was a tall girl, about their age, her long, brown hair tied back in a ponytail and glasses perched upon her tan face. She was wearing a white shirt with what looked like a multi-colored guitar on it, black jeans, and sneakers. The other was instantly recognizable – Eren couldn't help that he had committed Levi's appearance to memory.

A broad grin spread across his face and he started to wave. The smile stretched a little further when the girl beside Levi noticed and pointed, Levi's head turning until he spotted Eren.

* * *

"Okay, you see that boy over there?" Levi sighed, but looked in the direction Zoe indicated. He didn't see any point in coming out. He didn't want to see any of the people who might be his classmates in the fall.

All he wanted to do was put some music on, maybe Tchaikovsky, and get started on one of those damnable reading assignments. Luckily, those would be easy – he could probably slap some shit down and still scrape a B at least. That was what he had done in middle school. Of course, his father was never satisfied with anything less than an A, but Levi couldn't bring himself to give a damn about that.

"Are you talking about the one with black hair?" Levi muttered when he caught sight of someone who might have been the one Zoe was talking about. It was a tall, lanky boy with cropped black hair and a pale face. A slightly smaller girl walked beside him, her short, blonde hair braided and over her shoulder. They were holding hands and talking quietly as they walked on the opposite sidewalk.

"Yep, that's him. Hey, Marco!"

The call carried across the street and the black-haired man – Marco – stopped, glancing around. He spotted Zoe and waved back with his free hand. The girl turned around and Levi blinked. She looked... masculine in a way, her features not as soft as a girl's tended to be. "Hey, Zoe, it's nice seeing you!"

"You bet it is! Hey, I'll text you tonight! I'm taking my friend around!"

"Alright!" the boy called back. The pair started to walk again.

Levi could feel eyes on them and he ground the heel of his palm into his hand. _Could she have been a little subtler or something? _"Did you really have to fucking scream across the damn street?"

"Yes, Levi, of course I did." She clapped her hand on his shoulder and forced him to keep walking.

"That girl beside him..."

"Oh, that's Nanaba."

"Is she a girl?"

"Way to be subtle Levi."

"You're one to fucking talk!"

Zoe chuckled and shook her head, a huge grin on her face. "Well, Nanaba is a transgender. Marco's cool with that. He likes her even if she only dresses like a female. I think she might be planning on getting surgery in a few years, but I have no idea."

"Okay. I'd rather know now than fuck up later."

"Smart choice, cause that girl can whoop some ass." Zoe grinned and pushed on his shoulder again, propelling him forwards.

They turned the corner of one street and kept walking. Thankfully, few people were out. It was a combination of being out during working hours and the impending storm. That just meant they would get to the park faster. That in turn might mean that Levi would be able to return to his home sooner rather than later. "Come on! You move like an old lady!"

Levi growled in agitation, but walked faster. "Good, good! Hm, I wonder if anyone else will be out. Well, Jean or someone will probably have a party soon. You should come. Be social! Meet some people!"

"I don't want to meet people," Levi huffed, glowering at the ground. Why couldn't Zoe just drop it? Ever since she had realized he would be attending school in the fall, she'd been trying desperately to get him to go to parties and other social meetings. It was downright irritating. He would meet those idiots when he actually got into class, so why did it matter that he met them now and not later?

"Oh, right, you just want to meet _Eren_."

"Say one more word and I promise I will tear your throat out." Zoe smirked. _How have I not killed her yet?_

"Can't deny it, now can you? Oh Levi, you're so precious sometimes!" she sang. The few people who were out were starting to stare again. Levi punched her in the shoulder, his silver eyes twitching in irritation. "Ow! Dammit Levi, stop hitting me!"

"Then stop analyzing how I feel!"

"Nah, that'd be waaaay too easy! I wanna watch you squirm." She grinned devilishly and wriggled her fingers at Levi. Then she started waving her hands around, almost like she was conducting music. That or she was having some kind of fit. Levi was somewhat surprised that she didn't start rubbing her hands together and laughing like the manic she was.

"You're devil spawn."

"Ah, but that makes you the friend of devil spawn! So technically, it's your fault that we're even having this discussion. You know, you should let me meet Ere-"

"No. Hell fucking no. You'll taint the kid."

They reached the gates to the park and walked in. The leaves were rustling in the light wind. Overhead, the gray clouds were shifting and slowly meandering across the sky, not that it made much of a difference. There were no breaks in the flat blanket of gray that hid the blue beyond. "No I wouldn't! I promise! As your friend, I demand that I get to meet and assess him!" "You're the one that needs assessment – from a psychiatrist."

Zoe flicked him in the temple and sighed. "Levi... I'm being – why is that guy waving at us?"

Levi glanced up and followed Zoe's hand, which was pointing to a pair of familiar faces. Eren and Armin stood a couple hundred paces away, the former of the two waving like mad. The raven-haired man raised his hand and waved back before he started to walk again, heading straight for the pair. He didn't even want to see the expression on Zoe's face. She would doubtlessly hold today over his head _forever_.

The two pairs reached each other within a minute. Eren had a massive grin on his face, along with a slight blush. It was adorable, something that Levi rarely thought – about anything. "Hey Eren," he said, a small smile curling his lips up.

"Hello Armin." Eren waved again, his eyes scrunching up, his face brightening even more. His face was a miniature sun that radiated happiness.

"Hey Levi," Armin said cheerily.

"Hey Armin, remember me? I'm Zoe Hanji! I had Advanced PE third period in the fall when you had Freshman PE. I still remember you getting hit in the face by Mike during dodge ball."

Armin winced and his hand went to his forehead, just over his left eye. "I thought my skull might have been fractured when I woke back up."

Zoe must have noted Levi's raised eyebrow because she started to explain. "We had a game of dodge ball in gym. Mike is a really tall, well-built blonde. Well, Mike grabbed one of the balls and chucked it at some bald kid. What was his name… was it Bonnie? Lonnie? Connie? No matter. So the bald kid dropped to the ground and the ball nailed Armin straight in the face. Poor kid, he was flat on his back for ten minutes, easy."

Armin's face burned dark red. "H-he's a danger to mankind! Note how I stopped playing dodge ball after that incident."

Zoe grinned and slapped Armin on the shoulder before she turned her brown eyes on Eren and she stretched her hand out. "Hello Eren! It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Levi's told me so much!"

Levi clapped his hand over her mouth too late. _Dammit… Note to self: drown Zoe. _Eren nodded and hesitated for a moment before he shook her hand shyly. Zoe shook the chestnut-haired man's hand vigorously before letting it go. Eren tapped Armin on the shoulder and the blonde boy turned to look. All three watched closely as Eren started to sign, although two of them had no clue whatsoever about what Eren was signing.

The emerald-eyed man ceased after a moment and Armin glanced at Levi. "He wants to know how you two are doing. Also, he says to Levi, I quote, _'I thought you hated rain. So why come out now?'_"

"I dragged Levi out to see if we could spot any kids who might be in his classmates. We saw Marco and Nanaba."

"Oh, that's nice! Speaking of which, I need to see if Nanaba wants to borrow _Beyond Good and Evil _still."

"Ah, Nietzsche," Zoe sighed, a dreamy expression crossing her face. "He comes up with some interesting points!"

Levi rolled his eyes and turned to Eren, his eyes instantly on the taller man's face. "Ignore her," he muttered, jerking a thumb in Zoe's direction. She was blathering on about Nietzsche to Armin, who looked quite interested in what she had to say. Perhaps Zoe had finally found a friend to rant to aside from him. God knew that would save him hours upon hours of listening to her drone on and on and on _and on._

"As for your question, I was forced out. Against my will. By this insane wench."

Eren raised an eyebrow. _"Wench?"_ he mouthed.

Levi shrugged, "She might not be a prostitute, but she _is _a young woman. I'm still working on finding something that suits her better." The chestnut-haired boy grinned. Levi couldn't help the miniscule smile that crept onto his face. Eren's smile seemed to be contagious, but in a very good way as opposed to the nasty-ass way of bacteria.

"Levi, you'll spend a lifetime looking for a nickname that fits me!" Zoe laughed and clapped her hand to his shoulder. "Shall I get you a dictionary? Or perhaps I should get you a Thesaurus. Both are good options!"

Levi brushed her hand off and reluctantly dragged his eyes away from Eren in order to glare at her vehemently. "You know what? I think I _will _smother you tonight." He sighed and his eyes slid past her, looking at the bushes a little ways away. There was something ginger sticking out of the bushes. Silver eyes closed and Levi turned back to the three surrounding him. "Zoe, Petra is in the bushes."

The eccentric woman twisted around and glanced at the bushes. "Hey Petra!" she yelled, flailing her arm as she waved to her half-sister. Out of the corner of his eye, Levi saw the head of orange hair disappear into the bushes.

Armin glanced at him, one blonde eyebrow raised. "Dare I ask?"

Levi shook his head and sighed. Of all places, why did Petra have to follow him _here_? "Don't, just don't. It's probably best if you don't know."

"Ah… alright," Armin nodded, glancing back towards the bushes, an amused glimmer in his eyes.

"So what are you two doing out here?" Zoe asked, her head tilting slightly to the left.

"Eren and I were discussing some things," the blonde man said. "You know, like how those Red Sox are doing."

"You actually support the Red Sox?" Zoe whispered, her eyes widening. She grabbed Armin by his shoulders and started shaking him gently. "No! Come back to the Dark Side! Don't go over to those heathens! Support your local Titans!" the brunette woman cried. That was when she decided to start sobbing on Armin's shoulder.

The blonde man, arms still in the air, stood there for a moment before he glanced at Levi and Eren. "Help… me."

Levi grabbed Zoe's shirt collar and wrenched her back, pulling her off the blue-eyed man. He hauled her up until her face was a few inches from his. Irritated silver eyes glared into maniacal brown orbs. "Zoe, I will slaughter you."

"Why slaughter?"

"Because _slaughter_ can't with spelled without _laughter_." The raven-haired man let Zoe go and glanced at Eren and Armin. The latter of the two looked more than a little relieved. Eren, on the other hand, looked a little startled, but he smiled when he noticed Levi looking at him. His emerald eyes brightened, the light dusting of pink still on his cheeks.

He wanted to touch Eren's cheek so bad, to let his fingers linger there. Levi jammed his hands in his pockets instead so he could resist that urge. A vexed look crossed Eren's face. The emerald-eyed boy glanced at Armin, who was chatting with Zoe about physics or something. Levi didn't exactly bother to pay attention.

Eren pulled his phone from his pocket and typed out a quick message, tan fingers flying across the keyboard. _Now that I know, he really does have hands for violin. Hell, he could play piano too. Long, thin fingers with lots of flexibility… Oh, stop thinking already. _Eren finished typing and passed the phone to Levi so he could read.

**Thanks for yesterday. I had a lot of fun :)**

A soft smile crossed Levi's face. "No problem. I had fun to. It was a relief to get out of the house." Eren nodded in agreement and he met Levi's eyes for a moment before he looked away and started to type again. _What was that in his eyes? Something strange… _Before Levi could chase that thought much further, Eren held the phone out again. His cheeks were redder now than before. Seeing him blush sent a jolt racing down Levi's spine, warmth trailing after it. _Note to self: make him blush more._ Levi took the phone from Eren, silver eyes skimming over the message.

**I'd really like to hear you play the piano sometime**

"And I'd like to hear you play the violin," Levi murmured as he passed the phone back. "Perhaps you could come over sometime and listen. Maybe you could even bring your violin." A vibrant grin stretched its way across Eren's face and he nodded eagerly. His emerald eyes were bright and brimming with happiness. It was like watching a sunrise – beautiful and slow, but once it was there, it seemed like nothing could erase it. The taller man started typing again and passed the phone back. Levi reached out to take it when a voice interrupted him.

"Hey, faggot."

Levi's hand stopped moving towards Eren's. The two conversations screeched to a halt. Levi's eyes, still fixed on Eren, didn't miss the tremor that ran through the man's body. They didn't miss the flash of fear in his eyes. The raven-haired man turned around ever so slowly. _Calm face, calm face. _The chant echoed in his head, helping him keep his face passive despite the urge to bare his lips and snarl as if he was some feral animal.

There was a kid standing a few feet away. His hair was ash-blonde, short in the front and a little longer in the back, with the under layer of his hair dyed black. His brown eyes were narrowed with irritation and disgust, but there was also something else there. Levi couldn't quite place it, not that he wanted to. The kid looked about Eren and Armin's age.

"What did you say?" His voice was the embodiment of frigid, cold enough to freeze blood. Silver eyes glared at the blonde man, daring him to speak again. Thinly veiled threats lurked behind the silver orbs.

The man looked a little uncomfortable, but that didn't stop him from running his mouth. "You heard me. Faggot. Or do you need me to spell it out for your rotted brain?"

Levi's eye twitched and he curled his fingers into fists. "Levi…" Zoe whispered, setting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't do anything rash."

The raven-haired man knocked her hand off and stalked forwards. Levi stopped just in front of the man. "Yeah, I am a fag. You got a _problem_ with that, you little fuck?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well suck it up, bitch. I'm not gonna fucking change to fit your fucking ideals."

The blonde man's brown eyes flickered over Levi's head for a moment. The thing lurking in his eyes was more visible now – pain and regret. What for? The brown eyes fix back on Levi after a second and they hardened again. "Why don't you go back and suck your boyfriend's cock or something? We might have a stroke of luck and you'll choke."

"Choke on this," Levi snarled. He grabbed the man's collar and pulled his left fist back. His hand slammed into the man's jaw, snapping his head to one side with a satisfying crack. The kid slumped, still conscious, but he was stunned and disoriented. Levi let go of his collar and the blonde man's legs wobbled but held. "You wanna walk away now, or do I have to kick your bigot ass to the curb?"

"Like a scrawny little queer like you could do that." His voice was thick and his cheek was already starting to swell and discolor. It wasn't broken – Levi hadn't hit him hard enough for that – but he'd have some lovely bruises on his face for a while.

"Jean, just shut up!" Zoe yelled at the man, her voice hard and cold. So Zoe knew this little shit heap. It would certainly be unfortunate if this Jean man were her friend.

"Try me," Levi growled. Pale hands grabbed Jean's shoulders and held the man still as Levi rammed his knee into Jean's stomach. All the air in the blonde man's lungs rushed out and Levi pulled away, shoved Jean backwards. The tall blonde man stumbled backwards and doubled over, wheezing and coughing.

A hand landed on Levi's shoulder before he could step forwards to deal out more punishment. He glanced back, his silver eyes cold and pale face tight with rage. Zoe shook him gently and leaned close. "Don't do it," she breathed, her voice holding the same wrath that Levi felt coursing through his veins. "It's not going to change anything. Besides, you don't want Eren to be afraid of you, right?"

Levi shook his head and sighed. He turned his back to Jean and walked back to Eren and Armin. "Are you okay?" Armin whispered with concern in his blue eyes.

Levi nodded, but it wasn't Armin's concern that he sought. His silver eyes were glued to Eren's face, watching him close. The emerald-eyed man looked startled and his face was a little pale. The remnants of anger drained out of him when he saw Eren's face. "Eren, are you alright?" His voice was soft and even.

Eren hesitated but nodded, a small smile flickering to life. Levi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that. If Eren was smiling, then he was probably all right. Now that he was calm, the hand he had punched Jean with was starting to throb a little. Maybe he _had _punched the other male harder than he initially assumed. Eren held his hand up and reached for Levi's left hand. The raven-haired man let him take it.

Slim, tan fingers carefully cradled his pale hand. Eren's hands were warm. The contact sent pleasant chills racing down Levi's spine. The chestnut-haired man brushed Levi's knuckled with his thumb. "I'm fine. I just punched him on the bone a little harder than I thought I would."

Eren nodded and released Levi's hand, his warm hands falling back to his sides. _You didn't have to let go… _Levi shook his head and glanced back at Jean who shot a glare at Levi and slowly limped away, one hand still on his abdomen. "I suppose we should go in case that bastard starts shit up again."

"Probably," Armin murmured. "Hey Levi, I'm sorry Jean was such an ass to you. He's usually better than that. He's never really made a comment like that around Eren and I, so I don't know why he'd attack you and not us. I suppose it has something to do with his mother. She's not exactly the most stable of people."

Levi shook his head, "It's fine, I don't mind. I probably shouldn't have beaten him up. That was a little rash."

Zoe snorted, "Only a little?" Levi elbowed her in the side. "Bye Armin, bye Eren!" Zoe sang, wrapping them both in a crushing hug.

"Bye… Zoe," Armin managed to gasp out while she had him clutched in a bear hug. Eren opted for waggling his fingers at her.

"Bye Armin." The blonde boy turned to Levi and smiled, raising his hand to wave, "Goodbye Levi."

Levi turned to Eren and bit his lip. "Well… I guess I'll see you around Eren."

The chestnut-haired boy raised his hand and hesitated for a moment before he glanced down and pulled his phone out. A small blush colored his still-pale cheeks. Levi watched as Eren slowly typed out a message. His hands were shaking so hard it looked like he could barely type. Silver-gray eyes watched as Eren tapped the same button several times – deleting characters. Eren glanced up at Levi, the blush darkening. Emerald eyes caught Levi's eyes, so wide, nervous, and innocent. There was no thought, only action.

Levi took a step forwards and grabbed Eren's arms gently, curling his fingers around his warm arms. He didn't hesitate as he stretched up and leaned close – silver eyes still locked with emerald – and pressed his lips against Eren's. Levi wanted to linger, but he pulled away almost instantly and dropped his hands back to his sides. Both of them were frozen. Eren stared down at him, eyes wide and shocked, his mouth open a little.

Feelings of nervousness that had been nonexistent seconds before slammed into him. _Ah, shit… I really should have thought that through. _The chestnut-haired man still gaped at him. _Fuck, what was I thinking? I'm an idiot, such an idiot._

Levi grabbed Zoe – who was openly goggling at him – by the arm and dragged her off. It wasn't easy to move as fast as possible when toting an unwilling passenger. "Wait, Levi, wha-"

"Shut up shut up shut up."

* * *

Eren curled up on his bed in the darkness, staring blankly at the wall. A pillow was pressed tight against his chest, his face buried into the top of it. His phone was lying near his head. He could still feel Levi's mouth on his, still smell that faint scent of lavender. It was impossible to get it, him, off his mind. His face flared red again, both with embarrassment and with happiness. _I should have done something. I'm such an idiot._

A sigh dragged its way from his throat. After a few moments, Eren pulled his face away from the pillow and rolled onto his back so he could stare blankly at the white ceiling instead of the wall. _I should text him… I should tell him that I liked it. And that I was just surprised. _

He could still see the sadness in Levi's eyes when Eren had simply stood there and stared. That was something that wouldn't get out of his mind either. He sighed and rolled back over onto his side so he could pull his phone back down. One press of a button and the screen lit up. A swipe unlocked it. Another took him to his Notepad app.

Eren opened the app and stared at the line of text he had typed. The one he had been typing before Levi had kissed him. The one he did on a whim once he had realized that Levi had actually admitted to being gay. The one he had been too nervous to type, too nervous to show the raven-haired man before he had bolted away, sadness in the silver depths of his eyes.

**I like you.**

**Chapter 6: End**

* * *

Yeeees I'm done! I really should have been annotating _Things Fall Apart _today (10th), but I'd rather write. Annotating is so dull... Anyways, two notes: for those of you who read chapter 4 within twenty-four hours of posting, Levi's father's name was changed to Richard. Sorry bout that. The other is that I have exams this week (-_-), so the update will be a little later unfortunately. It depends on how hard I word. Well guys, have a nice night/day/existence~

**BloodiedReaper: **Haha glad you think so~ Hahaha I was too. Just wait till the first official one... I have absolutely no ideas as for what's going to happen XD  
**p0l-anka:** Haha I'm glad I could make you happy via update ^^ That he does!  
**Flawless Flower:** Nice ^^Mhmm~ I'm dying to get to that part! Haha he'll get there eventually. Gotta have some lovely build first~  
**Animo32124:** Oh my gods, so funny~ I hope your internet gets fixed soon! Haha, hopefully you won't have to do that too much! Fluff and chapters would be splendid. Only a little (lot)~ Possibly. Definitely. Absolutely (minor). No worries, babbling is good.  
**LookForTheTruth: **Ah, thank you for pointing out that lo~ ^^  
**RK02:** So glad you pointed that out. Mainly because that's intentional and it's very, very, _very,_ important. More will be revealed about that later.  
**huangangelin:** In due time dear, in due time. Haha it shall come soon. Sometime. I do't know exactly when.


	7. Dilemma

**Speak!**

**Chapter 7: Dilemma**

**Fuck almost forgot. Contains violent themes of abuse.**

* * *

Eren rolled over and slowly opened his eyes, brain still fuzzy with sleep. The room was still dark. The curtains were tinged with gray light. _What time is it...? _He couldn't remember falling asleep – just staring at that message, burning it into his mind. _Damn... I should've done something..._

Sheets rustled as he rolled onto his back and stared at the white ceiling. One hand slowly rose until his arm was straight and his palm was pointed straight at the ceiling. Eren alternated staring at his hand and at the ceiling. _I should text him. I should tell him. I know Armin is gonna freak if I don't._

He sighed quietly and shut his eyes, hand coming back down to rest on his chest, where he clutched the cloth above his pounding heart. _Am I brave enough to do it? I really should think about this later... after coffee._

Something downstairs shattered, the sound like that of a ceramic mug hitting the tiled floor. In the silence of the house, it sounded like a gun had gone off. Emerald eyes flew open. Fear ripped through Eren, tightening his chest and closing his throat. Heavy thumps and a stream of curses, furious and thunderous, reached Eren seconds after the first sound. The voice, although muffled, was his father's without a doubt.

Eren quailed and sat up, pressing up against the wall. He wasn't one to beg or pray, but he was begging to whatever deity that would listen for one thing: _don't let Dad come upstairs_. Eren hunched over and hugged his knees, compacting himself into a ball. Maybe, just _maybe_, if he didn't make a sound, his father wouldn't come up. A few moments passed. No other thumps followed.

Eren let out a shaky breath, one he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Perhaps his father was done. A heavy thump sounded. Another followed the first. That second thump was followed by several more. They were drawing closer. They were rising. His father was coming up the stairs. Eren's head whipped around, emerald eyes wide, as he looked for a place to hide.

There was nowhere to go, not unless he wanted to jump out the window and risk breaking a leg. The thumps drew closer.

Fear pounded through his veins and clouded his mind. Eren backed up on the bed. Something clattered to the floor. He glanced down. His phone lay on the floorboards, back up. The doorknob rattled, sending his eyes shooting back up and freezing his body. The door opened and the light flickered on, bright and blinding after the sweet darkness of the room.

His father stood in the doorway, looking painfully sober and terrifying in his wrath. "Eren... come here." His voice was colder than ice and sharper than a knife.

He had two options, he always did. He could refuse and stay where he was or he could comply with his father's demands. Actually, to call the former an option was a stupid choice. The punishment would only be worse if he stayed put. "Now!" he roared when Eren failed to move immediately. Eren scrambled from his bed and dragged himself in front of his father.

It was hard to hide the tremors that ran through his body. It was even harder to keep his breathing even in an attempt to keep from passing out. Father and son stood there for several long, silent moments, each watching the other closely. It wasn't man looking at man: it was predator staring down prey. _What is he going to do?_

His father's hand cracked across Eren's face, snapping it to the right. It took a moment for the numbness in his cheek to fade, throbbing pins and needles of pain replacing it as it seeped away. "Why didn't you tell me you left yesterday?" Malice filled his voice. Both of them knew Eren couldn't '_tell_' him. Both of them knew why that was.

Anger flashed across Grisha's face and he shoved Eren, hard enough that the chestnut-haired boy stumbled back. Eren fought to right himself and overcorrected, falling to the floor on his ass with a heavy thump instead of remaining upright. His father pounced, taking advantage of his son's fall.

He lodged one knee into Eren's abdomen, enough pressure on it to keep him from rising. Two hands wrapped around his throat, thumbs just above the base of his throat. Eren froze beneath his father, every limb, every muscle locking out. The fear had turned to full-blown panic and terror.

_No. Not again!_

His father's hands began to tighten around his throat. The thumbs started to press down against his it. Eren's throat closed, no help from his father needed. Tears prickled at his eyes, forcing their way out despite his silent protests. They trickled down the sides of his face, falling into his hair. His heart hammered in his chest, terror sending it on a frantic rhythm.

His father's hands tightened a little more, squeezing Eren's windpipe tighter. It was hard to get air through. Eren's hands shot up and he tore at his father's wrists, nails digging in and straining to pull the hands away from his throat. Grisha only increased the pressure on his throat and chest. He couldn't breathe. Eren jerked against his father, trying in vain to break free.

_Can't breathe... can't breathe... can't breathe! Not again not again not again not again!_

One hand fell away from his father's and started frantically searching the floor, looking for something, _anything, _that would help. Emerald eyes rolled around their sockets, tears freely streaming. The edges of his vision were going fuzzy. Eren's mouth opened as he gasped, saliva leaking out of the corner of his mouth as he fought to draw air in to his empty, burning lungs. Only the smallest of breaths managed to make its way to his lungs. It wasn't enough. The panic was overwhelming.

_Nonononononononono. Not again!_

Black spots danced across his vision and things were starting to lose focus. His hand closed around a book and he brought it up, right at the black spot where his father's head was. There was a thud and a small curse, but the hands and knee disappeared all the same.

Eren dropped the book and rolled onto his side, gasping and dry heaving, as tears continued to pour from his eyes. One hand clutched his stomach and his forehead was pressed against the floor, his other hand beside it. "Bitch..." his father muttered. A foot smashed down on his hand, grinding the fingers into the ground. Eren couldn't find any breath to cry out in pain.

He ground his head into the floorboards, still convulsing and shuddering, as he waited for his father's foot to disappear. It came off his hand after a moment. His father muttered something and walked out, the door slamming behind him.

It took a few minutes, but Eren finally managed to stop the mixture of dry heaving and gasping. He slumped down against the floor, tears blurring his vision. His fingers throbbed. His throat and lungs burned. His heart hammered away in his chest, slowly starting to slow once he realized that things really were over for the moment.

Eren rolled onto his side and cradled his throbbing hand to his chest, whimpering when the movement sent bolts of pain racing through his arm. The fingers of the other rose to his throat and started to feel, gingerly pressing down around his vocal cords.

They didn't feel any different, not like they had the last time. There was the possibility that the damage was further down, too far for him to feel. Hopefully, there wouldn't be any damage. The doctors had said it wouldn't take much more too completely destroy his voice. Eren took another breath and sat up, grimacing at the pain in his throat, chest, and hand.

He rose after a few moments and stumbled to his door, where he paused to listen. No sounds. His father must have left for work. Even so, Eren cautiously opened the door and glanced around before he stumbled into the bathroom, still dizzy. He pulled a washcloth out and started scrubbing his face, wiping away the dried trails of tears and spit.

Eren glanced up after a few minutes, the warm, damp washcloth pressed up against his cheek. A tired, pale-faced boy stared back at him with red-rimmed emerald eyes. There was a misshapen red ring that snaked around his throat, the outlines of a thumb and several fingers visible. Eren shuddered and set the washcloth down, staring into the white bowl of the sink. He raised his uninjured hand and ghosted his fingers along the red ring.

It looked like the one from six years ago.

* * *

Levi leaned back in his chair and rubbed his tired, aching eyes. Silver eyes flickered over to the window. Pale gray light was starting to seep through the curtains. That put the time around what, six-thirty? Levi glanced at the clock on his computer. 6:37 AM.

Staying up all night wasn't exactly his greatest idea in the world, but after the events of the day before, he couldn't sleep. Hopefully he would be able to last another twelve or so hours before he keeled over and succumbed to unconsciousness.

He sighed and leaned back, letting his head drop back so he could stare at the white ceiling. How much longer did he have until Zoe started pestering him again? The woman's sleep schedule was as erratic as she was. No matter what time she woke, she would doubtlessly continue to pester Levi.

She had attempted to do so as he dragged her out of the park. She had done so on the way home, where he had left her standing on his doorstep when he slammed the door in her face, too embarrassed to talk. He hadn't answered any of her numerous text messages, calls, or IMs. Zoe was nothing if not persistent – and crazy.

The raven-haired man shook his head and straightened up so he could look at the computer screen again. A folder was pulled up. It was one of many folders containing photographs he had taken over the years.

This one in particular was from the summer he had spent with the Swanson family in Tillamook, Oregon nearly three years ago. Most of the pictures were from their trip to Ecola State Park, although he had a few of Mr. and Mrs. Swanson.

They had been nicer than most, but had only been a temporary place to stay, cut short by the lung cancer wreaking havoc on Mr. Swanson. He died three months after Levi left, leaving his wife three months pregnant and alone. _I should probably ask her how Maria is doing…_

He clicked out of the folder, back to the main folder. Sixteen other folders sat there, waiting to be opened once more. Levi shut his laptop down and rose, stretching stiff muscles as he did so. Something started rattling, an obnoxious buzz filling the room. Levi stared forwards, blank about what the sound was before his tired mind clicked and he strode over to his bookshelf.

He snatched his vibrating phone off one of the shelves and glanced at the caller ID. **Call from Zoe Hanji**. Well that wasn't surprising. He punched the accept button and brought it up to his ear. "What do you want, crazy glasses?"

_"Oh my God, Levi, I can't believe you! Ah, why didn't you pick up yesterday? So mean… Anyways, I'll get right to the purpose of my call."_

How the hell could she sound so cheerful at six forty-fucking-five in the morning? She must have had a caffeine drip or something. "No, no," Levi muttered. He crossed his room and fell back onto his bed so he could stare up at the ceiling. "By all means, take your time. It's not like I'm doing anything. Talk about your science shit." _Yes, talk about that. That'll take a good… four, five hours. I could definitely sleep through that._

_"Are you being serious?" _Zoe sounded skeptical. It was understandable. No one wanted to hear her rant for hours upon hours about the animals she had found while crawling through filth.

Or perhaps that was just Levi's opinion. He wasn't quite sure. "Oh, totally," he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Even a deaf man could have heard it.

_"Meanie," _Zoe grumbled. The brown-eyed woman was certainly pouting at the loss of another chance to tell Levi the wonders of animals and plants. _"I'm assuming that means I can get down to the reason why I called. I can't believe you did that! That was so. Damn. Cute!"_ Her voice rose to a shrill squeak at the last few words, harsh enough that Levi jerked the phone a few inches away from his ear. The ranting continued. How the hell did her parents not hear her?

_"I mean, that was straight up out of the blue! I would have expected Phil to do backflips before something like that! Dammit, you should have given me some warning. I could have gotten a picture! Wait. I can just ask Petra if she got one. I think she was still hanging around at that time. Ah, I'm just thankful I have an excellent memory."_

Was she ever going to stop? At least her voice had dropped back to a tolerable level. Levi pressed his phone back to the side of his face. "Take a picture and I'll kill you," he said. Zoe only laughed in response, a little static coming with her laughter. She had long since ceased to take his threats towards her and her person seriously for the most part. Even so, she knew there was a boundary, which she had learned months ago and only poked a toe over nowadays.

_"Are you gonna ask him out?"_

Levi grimaced and stared up at the ceiling. "I don't know." He didn't even know how Eren felt. How could he? The mute boy hadn't messaged him. Eren's expression and reaction didn't give him much hope. _Was he just surprised? Does he not like guys? No… Armin said something about Jean not making comments about him and Eren. Does he just see me as a friend then? I don't fucking know._

_"Levi? Levi dear, are you alive over there?" _Zoe's voice broke through his thoughts and jerked him back to reality.

"What?" he sighed, not really sure he wanted to get into this discussion. He wasn't sure he had enough energy to deal with Zoe at the moment.

_"Sheesh, try to pay attention. I'm trying to _help _you, not tear your toenails out. You should ask him out. Based on his reaction, I'd say he's either never been kissed or he didn't know you liked him. If it's the former, that means he's probably never been on a date. So ask him out! Invite him over! Do _something!"

Levi sighed heavily and blinked. It took monumental effort to haul his eyes open again. "Maybe…" he murmured.

_"I'm sorry, what was that?" _Laughter followed her words, nullifying the pretense that she hadn't heard him. _"'Maybe' means 'yes' in my book! Ask him out! I'd say to the Back to School Festival, but that's still a few weeks away. Just take him to a movie or something!"_

"Zoe… don't you have anything better to do than meddle with my life?"

_"Nope!" _she chimed, cheerful as ever.

"I figured…"

_"Levi. All it takes is picking up your phone and sending a text to him. You can do it."_

"I seem to be afflicted with a serious disease."

_"Oh my gosh, really? What is it? Tell me more!"_

"My hands just fell off. I don't think I'll be able to text. There's a light. It's at the end of the tunnel. It's calling me," Levi deadpanned.

_"Ugh, so mean! I can't believe you Levi!"_

"Good," he muttered. "Zoe, I'm going. Bed's too comfortable and I'm too tired."

_"Text him!"_ she shrieked, seconds before he hit the end button.

Levi pulled his legs onto the bed and curled up. He snagged a blanket and dragged it across his body. _I wonder what Eren is doing… He's probably asleep. Or he's thinking I'm an idiot. Damn… what should I do?_ Levi ended up on his back, staring up at the ceiling as he pondered over what course of action would be best. Sleep didn't come.

* * *

Eren flipped the page of one of the books he had gotten at the library: _The Lovely Bones_. Distraction was what he sought, but distraction was not what he got. He couldn't stop thinking about earlier in the morning. He couldn't stop touching the aching throat, the same two questions coming back time after time: _Is there any more damage? Should I check?_ Eren was too afraid to leave it be, too afraid to check.

Emerald eyes skimmed the pages. None of the information actually clicked in his head. He couldn't remember anything from the last dozen pages or so. There was too much going on in his mind to focus. Too much chaos and not enough order. Everything was spinning out of control, what little he had managed to scrape together in the first place.

The beatings, he could and would handle. The platonic friendship with every guy he ever met, he could have handled. The constant longing to be something more, he could have handled. He could have kept handling everything, carefully balancing his life – keeping the abuse from Mikasa and Armin and hiding the truth of his sexuality from his father.

Then Levi showed up. Then Levi changed everything. Then Levi kissed him.

Eren slammed the book shut and pushed it away. He fell back, rolled onto his side, and grabbed a pillow, hugging it to his chest and curling around it. The hand his father had stepped on was stuck out, the fingers half-curled up throbbing to the beating of his heart. _What should I do? Should I text him? I want to… but Dad…_

Eren hugged the pillow closer, trying to draw a sense of comfort from it. It was stupid. Inanimate objects wouldn't give him what he wanted: a hug, a pat on the head, a soft voice that would tell him it would be okay. _Would things be like this if Mom hadn't died? Would things be easier if she was still alive? Would I be able to be myself?_

Something wet dribbled across his face. Eren raised his uninjured hand and dabbed at his face. He pulled his hand away and looked. Tears were smeared across his fingertips. _Dammit… _Furiously, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. _That's enough crying. No more tears today – none. _The tears dried within a few minutes. It left him feeling a little emptier than before.

His fingers throbbed again. _I wish things were as they were back then. Everything was so simple back then. But then I wouldn't know Levi… _Everything was so strange, so distorted. Hadn't it been like that ever since Levi had slipped into his life? Eren hugged the pillow closer and frowned, thoughts whirling through his head.

_I wanna talk to him. I shouldn't. Gotta get my thoughts sorted out. How can I? I don't even know where to start._

Something started to rattle. Eren flinched at the sudden sound and glanced up. It took him a moment to realize it was his phone. Eren rolled over, keeping his hand as still as possible, so he could grab his phone off the floor. At eight o'clock, it had vibrated almost nonstop for an entire hour. Then activity had ceased.

All of the messages had been from Armin. Armin. The same friend he had walked home with the day before after the park – after Levi had kissed him. The blonde man had asked so many questions. Eren had refused to sign or type a message in response. He hadn't been able to think then, too shocked for thoughts. He still didn't know what to think.

Emerald eyes scanned the dimming screen with a blue background. **New Text Message – Mikasa Ackerman**. Eren sighed and picked his phone up. He held it between two fingers for a moment.

The screen faded to black as he held it above his head. No point in answering. Eren let his arm fall back to his side and he sighed. His eyes slipped shut and he took a long, deep breath. _Maybe I should just sleep. Think it over… I'm tired enough for it. Crying is so exhausting…_

His hand started to vibrate. One emerald eye cracked open and he raised his phone up so he could look. **2 New Text Messages – Mikasa Ackerman**. Eren groaned and opened the messages in order.

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Hey Eren. What is up?  
Received: 10:01 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Eren. Pick up your phone.  
Received: 10:05 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Eren sighed and let his arm fall back down with a soft thump. He could answer Mikasa and hope to hell she didn't bring up what he was certain she was going to. He could also ignore her and silence his phone so he could sleep in peace. Unfortunately, things like that didn't deter Mikasa. She would doubtlessly march over to his house, break the door down, and pull him out of bed. That had happened three times before. Eren wasn't eager for a repeat. He brought his phone back up and started typing a new message. This was going to be interesting to say the least.

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Not much just reading at the moment. Wby?  
Sent: 10:07 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

He let his head drop back. There would be a few minutes of peace before Mikasa texted back. One of these days she would finally learn how to text with some amount of speed. Until then, he was stuck waiting a few minutes to see what the hell she wanted. Emerald eyes glazed over as he waited. Aching fingers slowly curled and uncurled, flexing and stretching. His phone vibrated a few minutes later, pulling him out of his daze.

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Because Armin said you were not responding to his texts. And that you have been acting strange since you went to the park.  
Received: 10:11 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

_Dammit Armin, dammit. _Eren groaned and draped his arm across his face. Maybe it wasn't too late. Perhaps he could come up with some excuse to escape. No, the chance of her backing off might as well have been existent. Once Mikasa set her mind to something, she refused to stop until either she completed it or someone forced her to stop. Eren started typing out another message.

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Dammit… No, I haven't. I'm acting like I always do  
Sent: 10:14 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Eren, you can tell me anything. I'm worried about you.  
Received: 10:18 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
I'm serious I'm fine. Don't worry. Sheesh  
Sent: 10:21 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
No, Eren, you aren't. Levi kissed you. I know your dad is homophobic. I know he'd flip if he found out. I know Levi kissed you. I know you like him. So what is the problem? Why are you acting weird?  
Received: 10:29 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Eren glared at his phone. _I wish I could fucking melt this hunk of plastic._ The phone, despite his best efforts to melt it with the mind powers he wished he had, remained in one piece. Emerald eyes intensified their glare. _Burn bitch, burn._ It remained intact. The chestnut-haired man sighed and started to type again.

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
I'm not acting weird  
Sent: 10:32 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Liar. Tell me or I WILL come over there and drag the story out of you.  
Received: 10:34 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
I'M FINE  
Sent: 10:35 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
No, Eren, you AREN'T. Stop trying to act so damn tough and tell me what is wrong!  
Received: 10:37 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Eren slammed his head onto his bed, although that was utterly pointless as the bed was not hard. Why, oh _why_ did he decide to answer his phone? He could have just let Mikasa wait for a response that wouldn't come. He could have just rolled over and slept. Well, sleep was questionable. Thoughts of Levi were bound to plague him the moment he stopped doing something.

_Why did Levi kiss me? Just… just why?! See, I'm already thinking about him! _Eren sighed and let his phone go so he could run his fingers through his hair. _What do I do? _His phone started to vibrate and, despite his unwillingness to do so, he picked it up and checked the message.

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Eren, talk to me or I promise I will break down your door again and make you tell me, even if I have to tie you down and stick a pencil in your mouth so you can write your answers.  
Received: 10:43 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Emerald eyes widened. No. That wasn't good. She wouldn't… would she? Then again, who knew _what _Mikasa would do? Eren grimaced and fired a message back at the gray-eyed girl.

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Fine dammit . such a pain. Whaddya wanna know?  
Sent: 10:45 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Do you like Levi?  
Received: 10:47 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Damn, she could type fast – well, faster than usual – when she wanted to. Eren flushed when he read her text. He couldn't help it, even if he did end up blushing like a middle school kid around her – _his_ – crush. _So direct… just like Mikasa. She doesn't exactly know how to beat around the bush._ Resignation filling his body, Eren started to type. He couldn't get away with lying – not with Mikasa, not about something like this. The truth is what it would have to be.

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
Yes  
Sent: 10:49 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Did you dislike him kissing you?  
Received: 10:52 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

_Sheesh Mikasa, can't you be a little more, I don't know, subtle? Fuck it… _Eren thought about it, not that much thought was needed. He _had_ liked it. The surprise had simply been too much at the time. Then the embarrassment came. That was quickly followed by fear. What if his father found out? How bad would the beating be then? How many bruises would that raise? How many broken bones? That kept him from signing to Armin. Kept him from texting Levi, no matter how much he ached to do so. Eren chewed on his bottom lip. _The truth, I need to speak the truth._

**To Mikasa Ackerman:  
… I didn't dislike it…  
Sent: 10:54 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Close enough.

**From Mikasa Ackerman:  
Thought so. Now, what are you going to do? Will you ask him out?  
Received: 10:57 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

There it was – that was the big question. _Was_ he going to ask Levi out? Was it even safe? There was nothing to guarantee that their relationship would remain a secret from his father. That was the threat. Eren shuddered at the thought.

He could already feel the belt on his back, biting into his skin and even drawing blood. Hitting him again and again until his back was a mass of numb red welts. It had happened before. That week had been hell. Eren had been forced to claim he had chicken pox to the school officials. If his father found out it would be ten, no, a hundred times worse. Eren didn't want to imagine.

_Fingers curled around his throat, cutting off his breath. A heel dug into his face, pressing it against the cold tile floor. The toe of a foot hit his chest again and again and again, never ceasing, beating him to a bloody pulp. A hammer descended through the air and slammed into his arm, something inside breaking with a God-awful crack. Screams of agony and sobs of fear mixed together, filling the air._

Eren lurched upright, his breath coming in short, strangled gasps while his heart pounded in his chest. He clawed at his throat with his hand. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Stop thinking about those things, just stop!_ Eren folded over and tucked his head by his feet. _I can't risk it. I want to, but I can't. I can't do it. I can't._

His phone started to buzz again. The chestnut-haired boy sucked down a deep and, hopefully, calming breath. _Everything will be fine if you don't. Just don't. Everything will be fine. Just distance yourself from him._ The idea hurt more than he thought it would.

After a few minutes, Eren sat up and glanced at his phone. **New Tex Message – Levi Rivaille**. Dammit.

* * *

Levi tapped his foot impatiently. He was exhausted and he needed something to do. What did he do? Like a genius, he decided to text Eren. That was fifteen minutes ago. No response. _Is he still asleep? Lazy boy… Then again, he might not want to talk to me. He's probably not gay. Dammit all to hell. Why did I have to be so damn rash? How stupid…_

The raven-haired man sighed and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. The floor had long since ceased to feel uncomfortable. He had even dozed off for a few minutes, bowed over his legs, where a book was resting, his glasses mashed into his face. Needless to say, those had been thoroughly cleaned after he had woken, and that was only because some idiot outside had decided to practically fucking stand on their car horn.

Levi thumped his head on the plaster wall. _I could go and play the piano… not that _that _will help any. _He had tried playing the piano. It had ended up as a melancholy tune with images of Eren filling his thoughts. Thankfully, his father hadn't been home to yell at him to "pipe the hell down because some of us are trying to sleep." Levi shook his head. Even _thinking _of that bastard made him want to strangle something. It was best not to think of that man.

_"So let's rewind, back to the time, two thousand five, I almost died. I overdosed, I did not know, did I provoke this evil ghost? Disaster… Magically, I turned tragedy…"_

Silver eyes shot open – when had he closed them? – and Levi snatched his phone from the floor beside him. **New Text Message – Eren Jaeger**. Levi stared at it for a moment, his lips curling upwards ever so slightly. _Finally…. Wonder what he's gonna say._

**From Eren Jaeger:  
Hello  
Received: 11:21 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

_So short… at least he responded. _Pale fingers darted across the keyboard and punched the Send button. Perhaps questions would get Eren to talk.

**To Eren Jaeger:  
What's up?  
Sent: 11:21 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Eren Jaeger:  
Reading. You?  
Received: 11:22 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Levi's small smile turned into a slight frown. Eren's message was so short, sharp even. It was as if he didn't want to talk, which was quite unusual for Eren. _How much did I screw up?_ The silver-eyed man chewed on his bottom lip and shot another message at Eren.

**To Eren Jaeger:  
Trying to decide whether or not I should sleep for a few hours. How are you?  
Sent: 11:23 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Eren Jaeger:  
I'm okay. You?  
Received: 11:27 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

_This isn't like him… _The messages were so short, not to mention how long Eren was taking to type out a three-word message when Levi knew he could type faster. What was wrong? Levi's teeth dug into his lip. _Dammit… I can't tell if I fucked this up or not._ He clenched one hand and slammed it onto the floor. Pain filled the side of his hand. It felt good. It brought some sense into him. Levi sighed and narrowed his eyes. _I need to figure out what's up with him. Going about that is going to be interesting._

**To Eren Jaeger:  
Exhausted as fuck. Wanna hang out?  
Sent: 11:28 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Eren Jaeger:  
I can't. Doing chores  
Received: 11:33 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**To Eren Jaeger:  
Tomorrow then?  
Sent: 11:34 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Eren Jaeger:  
Sorry. I can't. Armin and I have plans.  
Received: 11:40 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**To Eren Jaeger:  
Anytime soon?  
Sent: 11:41 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Eren Jaeger:  
I don't think so. Sorry  
Received: 11:47 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

Levi felt his heart sink. The raven-haired man replaced his lip with the knuckle on his thumb. Any more lip biting and he would probably bite right through them. What did that mean? Was Eren legitimately busy or was the chestnut-haired man trying to avoid him? His phone vibrated in his hand again. It was another message from Eren.

**From Eren Jaeger:  
Sorry. I have to go now. Bye  
Received: 11:49 AM, July 27****th****, 2013**

The phone hit the floor with a clatter. Levi didn't care if the screen cracked or not. His head dropped forwards and he hugged his knees into his chest. He buried his face into his knees. Silver eyes glared at the floor. Only the lack of laser eyes prevented the floor from melting beneath his heated stare.

_Hah… I'm so pathetic. I'm getting worked up over some damn brat I barely know. Dammit… I really am an idiot._ A bitter smile crept onto his face. _It seems like my presence just fucks everything up… the foster homes; Mom; Dad; Eren._

Silver eyes flickered shut. _Maybe I can sleep… just for a few minutes…_Levi slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

_Tears trickled down Eren's face. He was curled up in the corner of his room, hugging his knees to his chest and quietly sobbing. "Mommy…" She hadn't come home. They had gone to her. Eren had tried to talk to her but she wouldn't say anything. He held her hand. Her skin was pale and cold._

_His father's voice echoed in his head, so cold, bitter, and full of blistering sadness. "She's dead. She's not coming home."_

_Eren shuddered and his shoulders shook with renewed sobs. Why did she have to die? It wasn't her fault! It wasn't fair! His small fist beat the floor, pain filling his hand with each hit._

Why? Why did you have to die?

_He sniffed and wiped his nose and eyes with his sleeve. His eyes hurt. His chest felt tight. It felt like someone was stomping on his heart. Something slammed downstairs, a door perhaps. A lot of things had been slammed and thrown ever since they had gotten home. Eren had narrowly dodged being hit by a book that his father had thrown. That was when he made the decision to flee to the comfort of his room._

_Something else broke with the sound of shattering glass. It was closer this time. Eren whimpered. Would his dad throw something again? The door flew open and Eren glanced up, eyes wide and teary. His father stood in the doorway, his eyes dark, and a bottle clutched in his hand. Eren watched as his father looked around for him._

_Dark brown eyes fell on Eren and lit up with anger. "You…" The bottle flew through the air and hit the wall above Eren's head, shattering on impact. Glass and alcohol cascaded around him._

_"Dad…" Eren whispered with a voice quiet with fear. He had never seen his father like this before. "What are you doing?"_

_His father shook his head like a wet dog and lurched forwards over to where Eren had shoved himself into a corner. "Your fault…" he snarled, "All your fault."_

Mine? How is it my fault? _"What are you saying Dad?" His voice was so quiet. It couldn't get much louder. A hand connected with his face. Pain exploded in his cheek. Emerald eyes widened in shock: what was his father doing? His father had never hit him, ever. "You're the reason…" his father snapped as he closed his hands around Eren's throat. "You're the reason she's dead."_

* * *

_"You'll have to be careful now," the doctor said as he turned to the computer screen. Behind it was the room Eren had just come from, with very little aside from a large, circular machine with a table that he had lain on for some time. The sounds it made were loud and unnerving, but they had injected him with something, so all he felt was a constant sense of calm. The sense was fading, but a little still lingered, keeping him from panicking._

_"These are your vocal cords. These are what allow you to speak. Here are the scans from when you were a child. See how close they are? Normally, they are further apart when you aren't speaking. However, as yours were unable to completely form and spread apart, they're closer. That is what makes it hard to speak sometimes, and what makes it hurt. Here are today's scans. Your vocal cords are much closer than they originally were. This is due to the recent physical trauma."_

_Eren flinched slightly. He would have said… no. He would have _written _something if his father hadn't been standing behind him, one hand digging into his shoulder._

_"This has caused vocal cord paresis. That is where there is weakness in one or both folds of the vocal cords. Symptoms include hoarseness, vocal fatigue, pain in the throat when speaking, and shortness of breath. You've been experiencing those ones at least. Normally, we'd go in and correct this through surgery, but I don't think that would be worth it. The damage is too much to correct. This will be permanent."_

_Permanent. Permanent. _Permanent.

_Red rings. Pain in his throat. Permanent. Red rings. No voice. Careful. Oh God, the pain. So much pain. He couldn't talk. It hurt too much. Burning his throat. More pain, all over now. Broken fingers, broken arm. Bruises all over. How could things have changed so quickly? No voice. It hurt so much. Raw agony. Fingers wrapped around his throat, pressing down again once more. Choking him. Breaking him._

* * *

Eren shot up, his breaths coming in gasps. One hand flew to his throat and wrapped around it as if that could stop the ache. The other hand tried to clench the blankets, but it was too sore to flex far without crying out.

_Can't breathe can't breathe!_

His heart slammed against his ribcage like it was trying to break its way through his chest. Eren managed to suck a breath down his unyielding throat. That was the one that let everything go. His struggle for breath turned to gasps as his throat finally loosened enough to allow air. His hand remained curled around his throat. Cold sweat drenched his body, making his pajamas cling to his trembling form.

Eren sucked down another shuddering breath and pulled his knees into his chest. Tears streamed from emerald eyes, coating his face once more. _I don't wanna remember… I just want to forget!_ That was a futile want. He could never forget. There were too many scars, too many memories, to possibly forget.

Eren shuddered and bit back a loud sob that threatened to tear past his lips. _I… I need someone to talk to. Need to hear a voice._ He threw himself to the side of his bed and started searching. Tan fingers patted the floor, finding nothing at first. They closed around a small, slim object after a few moments: his phone. The touch made Eren freeze.

_Who the hell am I going to talk to? Not Mikasa and Armin. They don't know. They _can't _know. Levi, I'll text Le-… No. I can't. I've gotta distance myself._

Even thinking about that made his chest ache. He hesitated, fingertips still touching the phone. _I could do it, just this once._

He jerked his hand away. _No. If I do it once, I won't be able to stop. I'd change my mind. I can't do that. Levi… I'm sorry!_ Eren sat back up and curled his knees into his chest. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**To Zoe Hanji:  
Hey, creep. Do you have Arlert's number?  
Sent: 11:45 PM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Zoe Hanji:  
Surprisingly enough, yes I do. Why?  
Received: 11:50 PM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**To Zoe Hanji:  
Don't ask, just send it to me.  
Sent: 11:52 PM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Zoe Hanji:  
Ah, okay. Its XXX-XXX-XXXX  
Received: 11:54 PM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**To Zoe Hanji:  
Thank you Zoe.  
Sent: 11:56 PM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Zoe Hanji:  
… Are you feeling all right? Have you been abducted by aliens? Have you meddled with anything that alters hormones? Do I need to conduct experiments on you?  
Received: 11:59 PM, July 27****th****, 2013**

**From Zoe Hanji:  
Levi…?  
Received: 12:04 AM, July 28****th****, 2013**

**From Zoe Hanji:  
I guess you're asleep. Sleep well dear~  
Received: 12:10 AM, July 28****th****, 2013**

**Chapter 7: End**

* * *

Hi darlings, here's another chap for you! Exams finished up yesterday (only 2 this semester!) so now I just have to hope to hell I passed my Alg2 exam. Like the idiot I am, I decided to write instead of study for the most part. What can I say? It's good to combat stress. Bit of an emotional writer too... Anyways! I used lyrics from "Tragic Magic" by Falling In Reverse. Next chapter will be out... sometime next week. Depends on how long the next chapter of _END GAME_ takes to write. See you guys and girls~

**Flawless Flower:** Thank you~ Yeah... that's for a good reason thankfully. That'll come to light _much_ later. As for singular occurrence... I have no clue. Thank you! And I shall~  
**mpl3:** I'm glad you do ^^ Haha I try to~


End file.
